Sands of Time Destiny Arrives
by Heavenly Pearl
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru are finally getting married, but all is not well. The future of Crystal Tokyo is at risk and it is Sailor Pluto herself who threatens to change everyone's destiny. Can the future be saved before time runs out?
1. Prologue

Sands of Time (Destiny Arrives)

Prologue

Mamoru glanced over at the sleeping woman beside him, completely mesmerized by her beauty. His beautiful Usako, the love of his life. She looked so peaceful, he almost didn't want to wake her, but they both had things to do today. Reluctantly, he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips, waking the Sleeping Beauty.

"Good morning, Usako," he whispered.

She lightly yawned, then smiled. "Good morning, Mamo-chan. What time is it?"

"About seven o'clock."

Usagi muttered something about it being too early for a normal person to wake up under her breath, but she didn't really mind. Any morning she woke up next to Mamoru was a good morning. Snuggling under the blankets, she sighed, thinking about last night.

"I had a dream last night," Usagi revealed. "A long, long dream…"

"What kind of dream?"

"I dreamt about all the battles we've fought as Sailor Soldiers and about everything we've been through. You know, sometimes, it's hard to believe it was so long ago. Could it really be over six years since we fought Sailor Galaxia?"

Knowing exactly what she meant, Mamoru nodded his head. Six years of peace… It really was like a dream -- a dream he hoped would last forever.

"A lot of things have changed around here since the last battle…"

"Ami-chan's one of the most respected doctors in all of Tokyo…"

"Rei-chan is now the priestess of the Hikawa Shrine…"

"Mako-chan owns a five-star restaurant…"

"Minako-chan's a movie star in Hollywood…"

"Haruka-san won the Indy 500..."

"Michiru-san is a violin virtuoso, touring all over the world…"

"Hotaru-chan is a senior in high school…"

"And Setsuna-san is the hottest young designer since Stella McCarthy."

Usagi smiled. "Yes, a lot of things have changed, but some things will always stay the same, like how much I love you."

"And I you."

Flopping on her stomach, Usagi glanced down at the beautiful ring on her finger, admiring the sparkle of the large, heart-shaped stone in the center. It was a pink diamond, one of the rarest and most expensive gemstones in the world.

"Mamo-chan, can you say it again?" she asked, staring up at her lover with bright blue eyes.

"I said it fifty times last night…"

"Just once more, please?"

He sighed, knowing that Usagi wouldn't let him leave the bed until he repeated what he said last night. Not that that would be the worst thing in the world…

"Last time… Let's get married, Usako."

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the first part of my three-story _Generations_ series. If you enjoyed this story, be sure to check out _Sweet Dreams_ and _Star-Crossed Lovers_ (preferably after I finish posting this story, but if you don't mind spoilers, feel free to read them), as well as the companion short story _Daddy's Little Girl_.

Some dialogue in this prologue was taken from the last chapter of the manga.


	2. Act 1 The Announcement

Act One - The Announcement

Hino Rei turned the corner down Main Street, heading for the Crown Fruit Parlor for lunch. Once again, she thought about how long it had been since she and her friends had taken time out of their busy schedules to get together at their former hangout. There really wasn't much reason to go there anymore, now that Motoki was married and living in the U.S. Sighing, the priestess sped up her stroll, not wanting to be late for her lunch date. Unfortunately she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and ran right into a tall brunette.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," Rei apologized, bowing politely.

The Amazon rubbed her sore shoulder, anger burning in her dark green eyes. "You should be… Rei-chan?"

Rei glanced up, immediately recognizing that voice, and broke out into a huge smile as the two friends hugged. "Mako-chan? What are you doing here?"

"I got a call from Usagi this morning, telling me to meet her at Crown for some big news. How about you?"

"Me too. I wonder what the big news is. Do you think it has anything to do with a new enemy?"

Makoto shook her head. "No way. Usagi sounded way too happy on the phone. Besides, if it was something like that, she would have called us on our communicators."

As the two women continued on the way to the Crown Fruit Parlor, Rei reached into her pocket and wrapped her hand over the familiar shape of her wrist communicator. "So, do you still carry your communicator around too?" she asked.

"Yeah. I guess it's just a force of habit. Being Sailor Jupiter was such an important part of my life for so long, it's hard to give it up."

"I know what you mean."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, enjoying being in each other's company and reflecting on their former lives as Sailor Soldiers. When they arrived, they found that Usagi's best friend, Osaka Naru, was already there, sitting at their regular table.

"Rei-chan, Mako-chan, over here!" she called out, waving them over.

"Naru-chan, did Usagi-chan call you too?" Makoto asked, taking the seat across from the redhead. Rei sat down beside her.

"She sure did, and she sounded really excited."

The waitress, Motoki's little sister Unazuki, came over to the table and handed the girls some menus. "Hey, guys!" she said. "It's been a long time since I last saw you three. How long as it been? Since Motoki and Reika's wedding?"

Opening the menu, Naru nodded. "That sounds about right, Unazuki-chan. So, how are the two lovebirds doing in the States?"

"They're great. My brother loves his new job and Reika just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Joben, about two months ago. I have a couple of photos, if you want to see."

The proud aunt pulled out her wallet and handed it to Rei, who held up the pictures for everybody to see. The three girls oohed and ahhed over the handsome little rug rat, amazed at how much like Motoki the baby looked. That boy was going to be a heartbreaker when he grew up.

After back the wallet, the girls placed their orders and Unazuki skated off, her ponytail bouncing every which way. She hadn't changed a bit.

Rei glanced down at her watch and rolled her eyes. That meatball head was late as always. "So, when is Usagi going to show up? I don't have all day. She knows I don't like leaving the temple in Yuuichiro's hands for more than an hour."

"Are you still torturing that poor guy, Rei-chan?" Makoto asked. "Give him a break. He's much better than he used to be, and at least he finally got a haircut and shaved. And you know that he's hopelessly in love with you. You two really ought to get together."

"Mako-chan, I really don't think that you are in the position to give love advice, considering your own track record. Exactly how long have you and Shinozaki-kun been just 'friends'?"

The brunette blushed a bright pink, knowing Rei was right. But it wasn't her fault. Well, not really. There had been a couple of times when she was thisclose to asking Shinozaki on a date, but something always came up. The fact that she was the one who purposely scheduled something else for that night had nothing to do with it. Right…

"Hi, girls!" Usagi exclaimed as she took a seat at the table, a huge smile plastered on her face. "I'm here!"

"It's about time," Rei muttered. "So, Usagi, what is the big news?"

After taking a quick glance at the menu, which she still knew by heart, and placing her usual order of a large chocolate milkshake and a cheeseburger, Usagi shook her head. "Not yet, Rei-chan. Ami-chan's still not here."

"Yes I am, Usagi-chan," the doctor said, racing through the entrance, still dressed in her scrubs. She took a seat beside the blonde. "Sorry I'm late, guys, but I had to deliver Komatsu-san's baby."

"Okay, we're all here now. Spill!" Makoto ordered.

"Not exactly, Mako-chan. We're still missing one person."

Usagi pulled out her old communicator and pushed the button that called Sailor Venus. A few seconds later, a strangely bloody Minako popped onto the screen.

"Minako-chan, what happened?" Ami asked. "Did you get hurt?"

"What?" she exclaimed, looking confused until she touched her face and saw the red "blood." Minako laughed. "Oh, you're talking about my make-up for my movie. I forgot I was still wearing it. Don't worry. It's completely fake."

"Thank goodness!"

"So, what's up, guys? Don't tell me there's another enemy! There's really not much I can do to help you when you all are in Tokyo and I'm here in Los Angeles."

"No, there's not a new enemy," Usagi assured her, taking off the glove on her left hand and holding up it up so her friends could admire her new ring. "Mamo-chan and I are getting married!"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

The sound of the five girls screaming at the top of their lungs spread throughout the small restaurant, causing the other patrons to turn around and stare. Usagi blushed, embarrassed by the scene her friends were making.

"I'm getting married," she repeated to the other curious diners, trying to explain the girls' crazy behavior. A couple of them smiled politely, and there were a few congratulations from some of the people she knew and Unazuki, who was bringing out their meal.

"Congratulations, Usagi-chan," the waitress said warmly, setting down Usagi's milkshake and burger. "I'm so happy for you and Mamoru."

"Thank you, Unazuki-chan."

Once she finished serving everybody their orders, the other girls managed to calm down somewhat. At least they weren't screaming and jumping up and down anymore. Naru grabbed Usagi's hand and began studying the perfect pink diamond."This ring is absolutely gorgeous," she gushed. "It must have cost Mamoru a fortune. My mother has a pink diamond at her store that's just a little larger than this, although not as pretty, and it costs over 500,000."

"500,000?!" the four other girls exclaimed in unison.

Rei raised an eyebrow. "How in the world did Mamoru manage to come up with that kind of cash? I know he's a fairly successful lawyer, but half a million dollars? That's kind of unbelievable!"

"Can I borrow it for the Oscars?" Minako asked jokingly, still on screen.

Usagi twisted the ring around her finger. "I didn't think to ask him how much he paid for it. It's not exactly the kind of question you ask a man after he proposes, but if Mamoru can't afford it, we'll take it back to the jewelry store and get a smaller ring. I don't mind, even though I have gotten attached to this one…"

"The size of the ring isn't really all that important, anyway, Usagi-chan," Ami said. "The important thing is that you two are finally getting married. Have you decided on a date yet?"

"More importantly, have you chosen your maid of honor?" Rei asked. "You know, I would look absolutely gorgeous in a red satin strapless number."

"What makes you so sure that she's going to pick you, Rei-chan?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah. If anyone should be Usagi's maid of honor, it's me," Naru chimed in. "After all, I've been her best friend ever since nursery school."

"But what about me?" Minako asked, making a pathetic puppy dog face. "Certainly the leader of the Inner Sailor Soldiers deserves to be the maid of honor at the princess's wedding!"

As Rei, Makoto, Naru, and Minako fought amongst themselves, Usagi glanced over at Ami and rolled her eyes. She was tempted to give the honor to the young doctor just because she was the only one not fighting about it. How was she going to choose among all her friends? They were all so great. This was going to be one of the toughest decisions she would ever have to make. Couldn't they all be her maids of honor?

* * *

"Haruka-papa! Michiru-mama! Setsuna-mama!" Hotaru shouted, running into the house they all lived in and dropping her book bag on the floor. She was still dressed in her candy striper's uniform from her after-school job. "I'm home from the hospital and I have the best news!"

In her study, Setsuna broke the tip of her pencil, her concentration broken by the arrival of her teenaged adopted daughter. How many times did she have to tell Hotaru that she shouldn't yell in the house? Sighing, she reluctantly walked to the living room, figuring she might as well find out what all the commotion was about.

"Setsuna-mama! Haruka-papa! Michiru-mama! Is anybody home?"

"Tomoe Hotaru, you will stop that yelling right this instant!" Setsuna ordered, standing at the entrance of the living room with a hand on her hip. Her face was stern, but there was a bit of laughter in her eyes as the dark-haired girl slowly climbed back down the stairs, looking guilty.

"Sorry, Setsuna-mama," she apologized. "I was just so excited about the news, I forgot my manners."

"That's okay. Just don't do it again."

Hotaru's face suddenly brightened again. "Are Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama home yet?"

"No, we're the only ones here. Haruka's at the racetrack and Michiru has a rehearsal. They'll probably be home around dinner time."

The teen made a face. "Does that mean you'll be doing the cooking tonight?"

"And just what is wrong with my cooking, may I ask?"

"Nothing, if you happen to a raccoon or something that actually likes eating trash."

"Okay, I get the point. We'll call out for pizza or something," Setsuna laughed, knowing she wasn't exactly the best cook in the world. "So, what is the big, gigantic news that you're so excited about?"

Hotaru flopped down in Haruka's favorite armchair, unsure whether she should share the news with Setsuna right now. She really wanted to tell her parents all together, but she had to tell somebody or she was going to burst.

The garnet-eyed woman sat down on the couch, curious despite herself. This must be major.

"Okay, I guess I'll tell you," Hotaru conceded, pausing dramatically before revealing her secret.

"Hotaru, what is it? Just get it out already."

"Usagi-san and Mamoru-san are engaged!"

What?!

Setsuna knew she _should_ have been happy to hear the news. Of course, she knew that Usagi and Mamoru would eventually get married one day. It was their destiny. They were the future rulers of Crystal Tokyo and the parents of Small Lady, after all. She knew all that. So, why was it such a surprise? Why did it hurt so much?

"Setsuna-mama, are you feeling okay?" Hotaru asked, waving her hand in front of Setsuna's blank face. She was acting majorly weird. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine, Hotaru," she whispered, finally finding her voice. "Are you sure? How did you find out?"

"Ami told me after she came back from her lunch break. Isn't that the best news? A wedding! I bet it's going to be a lot of fun helping Usagi plan her big day. Maybe you could even design her wedding dress!"

"Yeah, maybe…"

The teen stared at the older woman, confused. Setsuna wasn't acting like she thought she would to the news of Usagi and Mamoru's engagement. It was almost like she was jealous or something, although why she would be jealous, Hotaru had no idea. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? You don't sound very excited."

"I'm fine. And it's wonderful news. I couldn't be happier for Usagi-san and Mamoru-san."

Sighing, Setsuna headed toward the kitchen to order the pizza, trying to conceal the tears in her eyes. "Is vegetarian okay with you?"

Hotaru nodded, but her violet eyes filled with worry. What was wrong with Setsuna?

* * *

Haruka and Michiru arrived shortly after the pizza boy delivered the large vegetarian pizza. Much to Hotaru's disappointment, though, Usagi had already called to tell them about the engagement, which brought up a much talked about subject in the Tenoh/Kaioh/Meioh/Tomoe household...

"Haruka, why don't we have a wedding?" Michiru asked her lover for the thousandth time.

The tomboy rolled her eyes. "Michiru, you know how I feel about weddings. It's not my style. It's bad enough that we have to go to this one."

"How can you not like weddings, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru asked. "They're so romantic and wonderful. And afterwards, you get to have a huge party and go on a honeymoon…"

"The honeymoon part I wouldn't mind," she replied suggestively, glancing over at Michiru and smiling cockily. The aqua-haired beauty simply huffed in indignation. She was going to get the couch tonight for sure.

Haruka took a large bite of a piece of pizza and immediately made a face. Ugh, vegetarian. Whose brilliant idea was this? Her eyes traveled over to Setsuna and glared at the mastermind behind this culinary debacle, quite expecting her to giggle or at least break into one of her trademark mysterious smiles. Setsuna knew she hated vegetarian pizza! However, the green-haired woman sat quietly at the other end of the kitchen table, staring down at her paper plate. She hadn't even touched her pizza.

"Hey, Earth to Setsuna!"

"Huh?"

Setsuna quickly sat up, suddenly aware that there were other people in the room. Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru were all staring at her, wondering what was going on with their normally more alert friend.

"Are you feeling okay, Setsuna?" Michiru asked, placing a comforting hand over her friend's. "You haven't eaten your pizza and you've barely spoken two words since Haruka and I got home."

"I'm fine, Michiru," she answered, pushing her plate away. "I'm just not very hungry tonight."

"You mean to tell me that you ordered vegetarian pizza and now you don't even want it?!" Haruka complained, annoyed.

Michiru shot Haruka a nasty look, pretty much telling her that she was sleeping on the couch tomorrow night too. "Haruka!"

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry. I should have remembered how much Haruka hates vegetarian pizza. My mind wasn't really working this afternoon."

"Don't even think of apologizing to her. She's just trying to be difficult," Michiru declared. "Now, Setsuna, tell us what's wrong. We're your friends and we want to help you."

Setsuna moaned. Why didn't everybody just leave her alone for a while? How could she tell them what was wrong when even she wasn't sure what was the matter?

"She's been acting like this all afternoon," Hotaru informed her other two parents, helping herself to Setsuna's piece of pizza. "Ever since I told her about Usagi-san and Mamoru-san's engagement. I think she's jealous."

"I'm not jealous, Hotaru," Setsuna insisted. "I'm just…oh, I don't even know what I am!"

"I think you need to go on a date," Michiru blurted out suddenly.

Haruka groaned, noticing that look in her girlfriend's eye. Michiru had some kind of scheme and that meant that she would probably be roped into it as well.

"No, Michiru. The last thing I feel like doing is going out on a date," Setsuna said, shaking her head.

"Listen, I think Hotaru might be on to something with this whole jealousy thing," Michiru continued as if she hadn't even heard Setsuna. "Maybe you're upset because you don't have a lover. I mean, I have Haruka, Usagi-chan has Mamoru-san, Ami-chan's married to Urawa-san, Mako-chan has Shinozaki-san even though she doesn't realize it yet, Minako-chan's dating practically every available guy in Hollywood, and even Rei-chan is always flirting with Yuuichiro-kun. It's hard to be around all these people in love when you don't have someone special."

"I don't really think that's it…"

"Don't be ridiculous. It'll be fun. You haven't been on a date in ages. Haruka could set you up with one of the guys at the track. Right, honey? What about that nice Yasashiku-kun you introduced me to the other day? He would be perfect for Setsuna. He's handsome, smart, athletic, witty…"

I knew she would drag me into this somehow, Haruka thought.

"Maybe I should just set him up with you, since you seem to like him so much," Haruka said sarcastically.

"Tenoh Haruka, do you want to sleep on the couch for the rest of your life?"

"Okay, I'll talk to Yasashiku-kun, but I have to warn you that he has a reputation for being fast with the ladies, as well as on the track."

"Oh, that's okay. Setsuna could use a good lay."

The three women stared at Michiru with wide eyes, not believing the words that had just come out of the normally elegant violinist's mouth. A few seconds later, after she realized what she had said, Michiru buried her head in her hands, trying to hide the deep blush that was rising up her face.

"I've lived with Haruka for way too long…"

* * *

Later that night, Usagi sat at Mamoru's kitchen table, staring at her engagement ring. Rei's words came back to her. How did he get enough money to pay for it? He made a comfortable living, but certainly not enough to afford a ring that cost half a million dollars.

"Usako, you aren't eating," Mamoru said, looking at his fiancée with concern. "Don't you like it? I know I'm not as good a cook as Mako-chan…"

"It's delicious, Mamo-chan," she replied, taking a large sip of the soup just to prove it to him. "I just can't stop looking at my ring."

"I take it that you like it then?"

"It's beautiful and I know it must have cost you a small fortune," Usagi hinted, hoping he would bring up the subject of how much he paid for the ring.

"It was expensive, but nothing's too good for my Usako."

Drats! She was going to have to be more forward if she wanted to get any information out him. "Are you sure you can afford it? I mean, if you can't, we can go back to the jewelry store and exchange it for a smaller ring. I don't mind."

"Money's no object."

Now she really was getting frustrated! Mamoru was hiding something from her. She knew it. They shared a checking account, so she knew how much they had in the bank. It was definitely nowhere near the amount needed to buy the ring.

"Mamo-chan…"

"Didn't you say that Minako-chan was coming back to Tokyo?" Mamoru asked, quickly changing the subject. "You and the girls must be really excited. She hasn't been back home for over six months."

"Yeah, she's taking a break from the movie business for awhile. But Mamo-chan…"

"When is she arriving?"

"This Saturday, at around noon. Now, back to what I was talking about…"

"Are you going to meet her at the airport?"

That was it! Usagi could feel the anger rising through her body. He wasn't telling her something about the money. It was obvious by the way he kept on switching the subject to Minako.

"Chiba Mamoru, if you are more interested in Aino Minako than in your own fiancée, then maybe you should just give this ring to her," she finally shouted, throwing the ring at his face.

He stared at Usagi in shock, surprised at her behavior. The ring had fallen into his soup after hitting his forehead and was now floating among a sea of vegetables.

"Usako…"

"Don't call me that! I've been trying to get you to tell me how you can possibly afford that ring and all you want to talk about is Minako-chan! What is going on with you?"

Mamoru sighed, then scooped the ring out of the soup, wiping it with his napkin. He might as well tell her. She would find out about it sooner or later, anyway.

Heading to his study next door, he pulled out a piece of paper from his desk and handed it to Usagi when he returned. She quickly scanned the paper, not really understanding all the legal mumbo jumbo. It was enough to give a person a headache.

"What is this?" she asked, finally giving up.

"It's a life insurance policy," Mamoru answered, taking back the paper. "A few months ago, I got a call from the orphanage where I stayed after my parents died. It turns out that my mother and father were quite wealthy and since I was their only living relation, I inherited everything on my twenty-fifth birthday. That policy alone is worth a million dollars."

A million dollars? Usagi could feel herself growing faint. Mamoru was a millionaire? When exactly was he planning to tell her this?

"But why didn't you tell me about this sooner, Mamo-chan? Your birthday was over two months ago. Why all the secrecy?"

"I don't know. I was so surprised myself, that I didn't really know how to react. I used some of the money to pay off my student loans and to buy the ring, then put the rest of it in a separate account. I probably should have told you sooner, but I guess I was afraid that you might just marry me for my money."

Usagi smiled, then took a seat in his lap, kissing him passionately on the lips. "You're so silly, Mamo-chan. I would love you even if you didn't have a penny to your name. We're destined to be together and nothing will ever change that."

"I love you, too, Usako," he said, picking up the engagement ring, which he slipped back on Usagi's slender finger. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course I will…"

He brought her lips down to his, kissing her softly, as Usagi ran her fingers through his thick ebony hair. His beautiful Usako…

"But you do know what this means, don't you?" she asked, once they broke apart. Her blue eyes were bright with excitement. He was almost afraid to ask.

"What?"

"We can have the absolute best wedding in the entire world. I can see it now. I'll be dressed in one of Setsuna's ridiculously expensive designs and you'll wear an Armani tux, and we'll get married in a huge, beautiful church or maybe even a romantic castle in Scotland. And we can invite all our friends and family and have a huge reception afterwards. And for our honeymoon, we can go on a trip around the world…"

Mamoru laughed. "Don't go crazy, Usako. I may be rich, but I'm no Bill Gates."


	3. Act 2 Welcome Home, Minako!

Act Two - Welcome Home, Minako!

That Saturday, Usagi, Rei, and Ami went to the airport to welcome Minako back to Tokyo. Even though Minako had sworn her to secrecy about her coming home, Usagi just couldn't resist telling her closest friends. She was going to be so surprised, especially when they got back to Makoto's apartment.

"What gate is Minako-chan's plane supposed to land?" Rei asked, leading the girls through the bustling Tokyo International Airport.

"Gate S24," Ami answered. She had already pulled out a map of the airport and was trying to figure out the shortest way to get to the gate. "Let's turn left, down that hall. It doesn't seem as crowded."

"No argument there," Usagi exclaimed.

The three girls turned the corner, relieved to be out of that mob scene. The airport was even busier than usual. Usagi didn't think that they would ever get out of there.

"Why do they have to make these airports so big?" she whined, rubbing her sore elbow, which she accidentally hit on someone's suitcase. "I'm starting to wish that I stayed at Mako-chan's apartment and helped her decorate for the party."

"Stop complaining, Usagi!" Rei ordered. "You're the one who suggested that we come here to welcome Minako-chan home in the first place."

"A girl can change her mind, can't she?"

"You are such a meatball head! I still don't see what Mamoru-san sees in you. He deserves so much better than the likes of you, especially now that he's a multi-millionaire."

Usagi stuck out her tongue. "You're just jealous!"

Ami inwardly groaned as Usagi and Rei began shouting insults at each other. Twenty-two years old and those two were still acting like five year olds! You would think that they would learn to stop teasing each other by now, but, no… It had gotten worse. She almost wished they would go back to the way things used to be.

"Come on, guys. Stop fighting. We need to find Gate S24. Minako-chan's flight is scheduled to land in less than fifteen minutes."

"She started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"I don't care who started it!" Ami uncharacteristically snapped. "Just cut it out. People are starting to stare."

Sure enough, when Usagi and Rei looked around, they discovered that they had drawn a small audience. Both women blushed red with embarrassment as Ami simply started walking in the other direction, pretending that she didn't know them.

"Ami-chan! Wait for us!" Usagi cried out, running toward the blue-haired doctor. Rei was right on her heels. "We'll get lost without your help."

"Excuse me? Do I know you, ma'am?" Ami replied once they caught up with her. It was taking all her willpower to keep a straight face.

"Stop teasing us, Ami-chan! We're sorry. We'll behave, promise!"

Ami smiled, never able to stay mad at those two for long. They were her best friends, after all. After consulting the map one more time, the trio finally made it to Gate S24, only to discover that Minako's flight had been delayed for one hour.

"What?! You mean we ran all the way over here for nothing?" Usagi exclaimed, trying to catch her breath.

"Well, look on the bright side, meatball head. At least we'll be sure to be here when Minako-chan arrives. I can't wait to see the look on her face!"

"Me neither!" Ami agreed.

Aino Minako left Tokyo soon after high school graduation to pursue her life long dream of becoming a movie star. She became an overnight sensation with a starring role opposite Chris Winters, the latest teen heartthrob, in a big-budget film called _Foreign Tongues_, which lead to even more roles and fame. However, Minako decided it was time to take a sabbatical after the filming wrapped up on her latest flick, _Bloody Mary_ (which explained the makeup she was wearing the other day) in order to retool her bombshell image and get more dramatic roles. Plus, she really missed Tokyo and all her friends.

"I can't wait to hear about all the stars she's met. I bet you she has some hot gossip on that Chris Winters hunk. He's so cute!" Usagi said, her smile quickly turning into a pout. "It's not fair! She gets all the luck, hanging out with all those cute guys and actually getting paid to kiss them. I'm so jealous!"

Rei's eyes sparkled with mischief as she held out Ami's pen as a microphone. "So, Usagi, inquiring minds want to know. If Mamoru-san gave you permission to sleep with the one movie star of your choice, who would you choose?"

"That's easy. I'd go for Chr… Wait a minute! I'm not telling you. You know that the only man in my life is my Mamo-chan. I would never cheat on him, even if he gave me permission."

"Riiiiight… So, that was why you were about to say Chris Winters? I think Mamoru-san would be very interested in hearing about this."

"You wouldn't dare…"

The priestess smiled innocently. "I wouldn't dare do what?"

"Usagi-chan, why aren't you wearing your engagement ring?" Ami asked, cutting in before they began another fight. "Did you leave it at home?"

The blonde quickly looked down at her bare left hand and turned a pale shade of white. Her ring! It was missing. "Oh, no! Please tell me it's around here somewhere…" she prayed, getting down on her hands and knees, searching for the missing ring. "Mamo-chan will kill me if I've lost it!"

The other girls joined her in the search. "I can't believe you lost it, Usagi!" Rei said, kneeling beside her friend. "You really are a meatball head. How long have you had it? A week?"

"Shut up, Rei-chan!" she snapped. "I'm not in the mood. We have to find that ring!"

Knowing how Usagi could get when she was upset, Ami rested her hand on her shoulders, coaching her through some relaxation exercises. Once she was calmed down, Ami began asking her questions about what happened.

"Are you sure you were wearing it this morning? Maybe you left it on your dresser or something."

"Yes, I'm sure. I wear it all the time," she said, trying her best not to cry. This was horrible! Mamoru was going to hate her.

Rei stood up, finding that the search was futile. The ring was nowhere in sight. She must have lost it on the way to the gate. "Sorry, Usagi. I don't see it anywhere."

Now Usagi really did start to cry. How could she have lost the ring? She didn't even notice it was gone until Ami pointed it out to her. Rei pulled her into a comforting hug, letting her weep on her shoulder.

"Maybe somebody's found it and turned it over to the authorities," Ami suggested. "I'll go check it out. You two stay here, okay?"

Rei continued to comfort her friend as the young doctor faced the crowd again to find the security office. She sure hoped Ami was right about somebody finding the ring, because no matter how much they fought, she hated seeing Usagi so upset.

Shortly after Ami left, a striking woman with piercing green eyes and long raven hair approached the two. A shy little boy with the same gorgeous eyes was holding tightly onto her hand. The woman gently tapped Usagi on the shoulder.

Usagi glanced up, surprised. For some reason, the woman's face looked vaguely familiar to her, but that was impossible. She had never seen the woman before in her life.

"Excuse me, miss," the woman said in a slight foreign accent. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and I was wondering if this ring happened to belong to you. I found it in the hall by the restrooms and was just on my way to hand it over to security."

Much to Usagi's amazement and relief, the woman pulled the missing ring from her purse. Usagi nodded, taking the ring from the woman's hand and placing it back on her finger. She never was going to lose it again.

"I don't know how to thank you, ma'am," Usagi gushed. "I was so upset when I discovered it was missing. It's my engagement ring."

"I certainly understand. It really is a beautiful ring, and I personally would have been devastated if I lost something that was obviously very special. I'm just glad that I was able to find the owner."

Taking out her wallet, Usagi pulled out a crisp 100 dollar bill, which she handed to the woman. "Please accept this as a reward. I really appreciate you finding my ring."

"No, I couldn't," the woman refused, shaking her head. "I didn't return the ring for money. It is plenty reward for me to see that smile on your face. You are going to make a beautiful bride, and your fiancé is very lucky."

"Thank you… I'm sorry. I didn't get your name."

"I'm Jade Green, and this is my son, Damian. It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Rei replied, shaking Jade's hand. "My name is Hino Rei, and she's Tsukino Usagi."

"Hello, Damian-chan, it's very nice to meet you," Usagi said, ruffling the child's dark hair, which he didn't seem to like too much. The boy quickly ran behind his mother's long black skirt, holding onto her leg.

By that time, Ami had returned from the security office empty-handed and was surprised to find her friends talking with the exotic woman with the dark green eyes.

"And this is Mizuno Ami-sensei," Usagi said as Ami walked over. "Ami-chan, meet Jade Green. She found my ring."

"It's nice to meet you, Green-san," she replied, shaking her hand.

Glancing down at her very expensive looking gold watch, Jade's eyes widened. "Oh, I hate to run, girls, but my friend's flight is about to arrive. I hope you and your fiancé are very happy together. I wish you luck. Sayonara."

"Sayonara!"

As Jade walked away from the three girls, dragging her son behind her, her dark red lips turned up in a small, mysterious smile. _Princess Serenity, you are such an idiot! There won't be a wedding if I have anything to do with it. Enjoy your precious Endymion while you can because you won't have him for long._

* * *

A stunning young woman with long blonde hair pulled back with an ever-present red bow looked around the busy airport as she went through customs, thinking just how glad she was to finally be back home. She hadn't realize she missed Tokyo so much. L.A. was wonderful, of course, but it just couldn't compare to the beauty of her hometown.

It was going to be so great to see all her friends again, especially her faithful guardian cat Artemis. Makoto volunteered to look after him while she was in the U.S. so that he could stay with Luna, with whom he finally admitted he was in love with. While she'd been a tad peeved that Artemis would rather stay with his lady love than with his mistress, as the soldier of love, she understood. She always knew those two were meant for each other.

Putting on a pair of dark sunglasses and a stylish hat once she had been cleared, the starlet bravely faced the crowds, hoping that nobody would recognize her. The last thing she needed was a repeat of her previous visit. She was almost killed by a mob of screaming fans who had gathered at the airport especially to see her.

This time she had been more careful about her travel plans, buying her ticket under an assumed name and making sure she had a disguise ready. In fact, she was so secretive about her plans that she hadn't even told her agent. Lucas was going to blow a gasket-case when he learned that his star client left the country without even telling him.

Only Usagi knew that she was coming, and even though she made her promise not to tell the other Sailor Soldiers, she figured that everyone knew by now. Usagi could never keep a secret, especially one as big as this one. That was why the blonde actress was searching the crowd, looking for the familiar faces of her best friends. They were here, she could feel it in her bones. And when she got her hands on Tsukino Usagi…

They were, as she suspected, standing in front of Gate S24. Smiling, she mentally patted herself on the back for thinking to tell Usagi the wrong flight information. The blonde was a lot smarter than most people (namely Artemis) gave her credit for. Walking over to the three girls, she lightly tapped the blue-haired doctor on the shoulder. This was going to be her greatest performance yet.

"May I help you, Miss?" Ami asked, polite and helpful as always. She hadn't change a bit. Well, except for the slightly longer hairstyle that suited her rather nicely.

"Yes, this is my first visit to Tokyo and I'm afraid I'm completely lost," she said, using the patented English accent she picked up during her Sailor V days in London. "Could you give me the address of a restaurant called _Clouds_? I'm supposed to meet a friend there, but I have no idea where to go."

"Oh, it isn't all that far from the airport. All you have to do is get on Highway 45 and drive about two miles, then you… Girls, it isn't polite to stare!"

Ami glared at Usagi and Rei, who were rather rudely staring at the "stranger". The actress smothered a nervous giggle. This wasn't going as well as she expected. They suspected something.

"Something seems familiar about you," Rei said, rubbing her chin in thought. Her violet eyes were sparkling playfully. "I can't quite put my finger on it… Usagi, what do you think?"

The pigtailed blonde nodded her head enthusiastically. "That long hair…that horrible accent…the Sailor Venus wrist communicator that you forgot to take off…"

She glanced down at her arm, mentally kicking herself for forgetting such a minor, yet important, detail. Realizing she'd been discovered, Aino Minako slid her shades down her nose, revealing her pretty baby-blue eyes. This performance definitely wasn't Oscar-caliber, although did she actually believe that she could manage to fool her best friends?

"Surprise?" she said meekly as the girls began hugging her tightly and jumping around wildly.

"Minako-chan, I've missed you so much!" Usagi confessed. "We all are so happy to have you back, especially Artemis. He's missed you like crazy."

"Yeah, I missed the little fur-ball myself. Hey, where's Mako-chan? Didn't she come?"

Ami shook her head. "Mako-chan's at the apartment with Artemis and Luna. She really did want to come, Minako-chan, but she just couldn't deal with it…"

Minako understood. It was still hard for Makoto to get anywhere near an airplane. The pain from her parents' death was still fresh in her mind, even though years had passed since then. She was getting better though. For her twenty-first birthday, Makoto actually managed to fly all the way to Los Angeles to see her, with a little prodding from her friends, of course. That was the best birthday ever. She and the girls had gone to the Viper Room, the club to go to in Hollywood, and got drunk out of their senses, even if Makoto was about a month underage. However, she was so tall, no one even bothered to card her, and if they had, she probably would have beat them up.

"So, do you have a boyfriend yet?" Rei teased, poking Minako in the ribs.

The cool and confident movie star actually blushed. While it was true that she had been dating up a storm in Hollywood, none of the guys she met held a candle to her first love, Alan, whom she met in England. Even now, she compared all her boyfriends to him. In a ironic twist of faith, the woman most men worshipped as a sex symbol was actually still a virgin, wanting her first time to be with a man she really loved. The other girls liked to tease her about it, especially Rei, even though the priestess was also still a virgin herself (although out of necessity and not by choice).

"I've been on a few dates, but I don't know… I never really clicked with anyone," she replied modestly.

"Don't worry, Minako-chan," Usagi comforted her. "Your handsome prince will come someday. Until then, let me borrow that hat It's so cool!"

Before she could protest, Usagi grabbed her beret, revealing the signature red ribbon in her hair. A couple of (rather cute) boys started pointing in their direction, and much to Minako's annoyance, the tall one shouted, "Hey, isn't that Aino Minako? The movie star?"

_Oh, no!_ With no time to explain, Minako grabbed Usagi's wrist and began running toward the entrance of the airport. Rei and Ami were following closely behind.

"Where's the fire, Minako-chan?" Usagi asked breathlessly.

Instead of answering her, Minako began sprinting faster, dragging poor Usagi with her. Managing to glance behind them, her mouth formed into an understanding "o".

"It's a stampede!"

* * *

The taxi pulled up in front of Makoto's apartment building about twenty minutes later. As the four girls piled out of the yellow car, the driver rubbed his temple with his fingers, glad that they were finally getting out. The entire ride from the airport was filled with high-pitched squeals and endless fighting between the blonde with the strange hairstyle and the sexy priestess, giving him the worst headache of his life. All he had to say was that they better give him a good tip after the misery they put him through.

"That'll be fifteen dollars, miss," he informed the other blonde, the one that looked kind of familiar. Minako started to pull out her wallet when Usagi came over and paid the cabbie with a 100 bill.

"Don't worry, Minako-chan. This is on me. You can keep the change, sir."

The cabbie's eyes lit up at the sight of so much money. He never got this big of a tip from his other customers. Those girls might have been annoying, but boy were they loaded! "Thank you, miss," he replied, staring at the two girls for a second. The other blonde certainly did look familiar, but he didn't recall ever meeting her before. Then, suddenly, it hit him. "Hey, you're Aino Minako, aren't you? The girl who played Chris Winters' love interest in _Foreign Tongues_? My son is absolutely in love with you. Would you mind giving me your autograph?"

The movie star smiled brightly. She always loved meeting fans, just not all at once. "Sure, I'd love too. What's your son's name?"

He handed Minako a pen and a piece of paper, and she quickly jotted down a short message for his son.

Meanwhile, Rei and Ami were busy getting Minako's luggage out of the trunk. She certainly didn't travel light. Grabbing the final large suitcase and dropping it on the sidewalk, Rei sighed. "Minako-chan, what did you do? Buy every single piece of clothing available on Rodeo Drive?"

"Come on, Rei-chan. You know how the old saying goes, 'You got to shop until you max out all your credit cards'."

Ami shook her head in exasperation. Minako still managed to mangle up even the most common sayings. "I think you mean 'shop until you drop'."

"Whatever. You know what I meant. I admit it, I'm a shopaholic. Maybe I should join Shoppers Anonymous or something."

"But then you wouldn't be the Minako-chan we all know and love," Usagi said, taking the opportunity to cover her friend's eyes with a bandanna.

"Oh, don't tell me that you planned me a surprise party!" Minako groaned good-naturedly as Usagi tied the fabric behind her head. "You know how much I hate surprises."

"What are you talking about? You love surprises. And what makes you think that we're planning anything special in the first place?"

Minako rolled her eyes, even though they couldn't see. "You don't have to pretend anymore, Usagi-chan. Don't worry, though. I'll act really surprised."

"Well I hope it's better than that Bridget Jones' impersonation at the airport."

The blonde playfully swatted her hand, intending to hit Usagi, but instead caught only the cool autumn air. Before she could protest anymore, Usagi pushed Minako forward toward the apartment building as Rei and Ami followed behind, practically hidden behind a stack of Italian leather luggage. "Remind me to cut up all her credit cards when we get inside," Rei muttered under her breath as they entered lobby.

* * *

Inside the apartment, Makoto was making last minute arrangements for the party. Mentally, she went over her list of things to do. Bake the cake, check. Put out refreshments, check. Spike the punch, (double) check. Blow up balloons, check. It looked like everything was just about ready for the party. All was left to do was put up the "Happy Birthday" sign above the door.

"Shinozaki-kun, could you hold the ladder steady for me?" she asked, climbing onto the first rail. Shinozaki quickly let the balloon he was blowing deflate, flying across the room, and went over to assist his best friend.

"There's something I still don't understand, Mako-chan," he admitted as she began hanging up the banner. "Why are we throwing Minako a birthday party? I thought her birthday was on the 22nd, but today is the 5th. It's still over two weeks away."

"Because she totally won't expect it. It's the ultimate surprise. I mean, everyone expects a surprise party on their actual birthday. This way, Minako won't suspect a thing."

"That is, unless Usagi opens her big mouth," Luna replied, walking into the living room with Artemis. "I told you that telling her about the party would be a big mistake. That girl couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it."

Makoto rolled her emerald eyes at the black cat. "Come on, Luna. Give the girl a little credit. I mean, she did manage to keep the fact that she's Sailor Moon from her closest friends and family a secret for over three years."

"True, but still…"

After hanging up the banner, Makoto's eyes scanned the room in a final inspection. Everything was absolutely perfect. She had decorated the room in orange, yellow, and gold, Minako's favorite colors, which contrasted nicely with the hunter green living room, and the triple chocolate cake she baked smelled delicious. All the guests, including the Outers, Mamoru, Yuuichiro, Ryo, and a special surprise, were already there and were trying to find a good hiding place. She smiled in satisfaction. All they needed now was the guest of honor.

Sitting by the window that looked out onto the parking lot as look-out, Hotaru's eyes widened as she saw the taxi pull up into the circle in front to the building. "They're here!" she shouted, provoking another one of Setsuna's glares.

At the announcement that Minako and the girls had finally arrived, the room became a scene of pure and utter chaos as everyone tried to find a place to hide. Unfortunately, in his haste to find a spot, Shinozaki forgot that he was supposed to be holding the ladder steady, causing Makoto to scream at the top of her lungs as she began falling.

"Mako-chan!" he exclaimed, catching her in his arms just in time and falling on the floor. Both of them were blushing a bright red at the proximity of their bodies.

"Uh…thanks, Shinozaki-kun, I think," she stuttered, quickly pulling away from his grasp. Shinozaki, in turn, stood up. Trying to get a hold of her emotions, she then proceeded to scold him for making such a stupid mistake. "Although you were supposed to be holding the ladder still…"

"I'm sorry. Friends?"

He looked so pathetic, standing there over her and offering his hand to help her get up that Makoto couldn't help but smile. "I guess so," she teased, allowing him to assist her off the floor. "But next time…"

Finally, everyone was ready and hidden from view, except for the special guest, who was standing right in the center of the room so that Minako would immediately notice him. In nervousness, he wiped his sweaty hands on the side of his jeans. Why did he ever agree to this? Yes, he once did have a crush on her (actually, he still did) and she seemed to like him, but come on! She was a movie star and he was…well, he was no Chris Winters. This was insane!

As the sounds of footsteps and animated voices came closer and closer to the door, the man could feel his heart speed up faster. What if she didn't like him anymore? What if she was still hung up on that Alan guy she met in London? What if…

"Gee, we're at Mako-chan's apartment. I wonder why we're here," Minako's purposely exaggerated voice called out from behind the door. Usagi moaned, and Rei let out an ear-splitting shriek as one of the movie star's suitcases landed on her foot.

"Who's the clumsy one now?" Usagi teased.

Even though none of the people inside could see, most could imagine the look on the priestess's face. "If you were helping us instead of just standing there like a lump on a log…"

"I'm coming in now!" Minako announced, opening the door just as Usagi and Rei began another argument.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MINAKO-CHAN!" everyone inside yelled.

The look on the actress's face as she walked into the room could not under any circumstances have been rehearsed. It was pure and total shock, although not because of the sight of all her friends behind the furniture wearing party hats and throwing streamers. She only had eyes for one person in the room, the handsome man holding a bouquet of a dozen roses in his hands.

"Asai-kun?!"


	4. Act 3 Stranger from the Future

Act Three - Stranger from the Future

The morning after Minako's party, Usagi, Rei, Makoto, and the movie star decided to go shopping. Ami would have come if she hadn't been paged by the hospital to take over for a colleague, and Naru wasn't able to go either. As they walked toward a small, but very exclusive boutique in the heart of downtown Tokyo, Usagi couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She just had to know what happened last night.

"So, you and Asai-kun looked very friendly last night at the party, Minako-chan," Usagi commented, poking her in the ribs. She was wearing one of her devilish smiles. "I take it that you were happy to see him again, weren't you?"

Minako blushed a pretty pink at the mention of Asai's name. Yes, it had been nice to see him again. Real nice. He was even cuter than the last time she saw him, which was when that daimon attacked him all those years ago.

"I'll say," Makoto chorused. "They were clinging to each other the entire night, as if they were afraid one of them was going to disappear if they stopped holding hands for even one second."

"You're exaggerating, Mako-chan," Minako replied, her face growing redder by the minute. "We weren't together the entire night."

"Really?" Rei teased. "When you and Asai-kun left the party early, I just assumed that you went back to your hotel room and… Well, let's just say that you look awfully tired this morning. You didn't get a lot of sleep last night, did you?"

The movie star's beautiful face was now colored a deep, dark scarlet. She couldn't blush any harder even if she tried. "Rei-chan!"

"You slept with him, didn't you?"

Okay. It was possible.

"Rei-chan, I don't really think that's any of your business," Minako said, trying to act cool and confident but not succeeding. "You know I'm not the type of girl to kiss and blab."

"So there was kissing involved?"

"Maybe."

"Come on, Minako-chan! You've got to be a little more specific than 'maybe'. In case you've forgotten, we were the ones who got you two back together. You owe us details."

Makoto sighed as she opened the door of _Timeless Creations,_ allowing the others to go in ahead of her. "First of all, technically, I'm the one who called Asai-kun and invited him to the party, Rei-chan. You had absolutely nothing to do with it, so if Minako-chan owes anyone details, it's me. And secondly, if she doesn't want to tell us what happened last night, then I say we should respect her privacy. I'm sure Minako-chan has enough problems with the paparazzi invading her private life without her friends bugging her too."

Grateful for her help, Minako flashed her friend a relieved smile. It was true that the press had been hounding her lately, especially after the success of her last movie. She was finally beginning to understand how the Three Lights must have felt. It was hard work being a celebrity, but she wouldn't change it for the world. She was a star and loving almost every single minute of it.

However, she did miss having somewhat of a private life. Last night was the first time in a long time that she had been able to enjoy being with a guy without worrying about some paparazzo popping out of the shadows with his camera, hoping to catch some juicy picture he could sell to the tabloids for major bucks. Nothing happened between her and Asai at the hotel except a few innocent kisses (she wasn't that kind of girl), but still, it was the principle of the matter. She usually told her friends everything, but for once, it felt nice to have a part of her life that was hers and hers alone.

"But we want to know!" Usagi and Rei whined, speaking in perfect unison.

Upon hearing the two familiar voices of the beautiful priestess and her princess, Meioh Setsuna looked up from the design sketch she was working on and smiled warmly. Well, at least she hoped she was. For some reason, the appearance of Usagi caused another stab of pain to flicker in her heart, just like the day Hotaru told her about the engagement. She was at a lost for an explanation for these strange emotions she had been feeling the last few days, but she resolved not to let it interfere with her friendship with either Usagi or Mamoru. Maybe Michiru was right about her needing to go on a date…

"Hello, girls," she greeted them, setting aside her design. "What a nice surprise. I never see you four around here."

Rei, who was admiring a stunning crimson dress on a nearby mannequin, practically fainted as she took a peek at the price tag. Fifty thousand dollars for a dress that barely had enough fabric to cover the important parts? This was ridiculous! "That's because only Minako, Ami, and now Usagi could ever be able to afford anything in here," the priestess complained. "Haven't you ever heard of the term 'sale', Setsuna-san? The price of this dress alone is double the yearly budget at the temple."

The designer let out a rare giggle at the look on Rei's face. "That's from my haute couture collection, Rei-san. Not all of my designs are that expensive. If you'd like, I could show you some of the clothes from the ready-to-wear line that might fit your budget."

Usagi shook her head, smiling. "That won't be necessary, Setsuna-san," she replied, looking over a beautiful strapless wedding gown trimmed with delicate chantilly lace. "We're actually here to look for my wedding dress and the bridesmaids' gowns. And don't worry, price is no object now that my Mamo-chan is a millionaire. I'm paying for everything."

At the mention of the wedding, another stab of pain traveled to Setsuna's heart, causing her to clutch at her breast. Makoto, who was standing closest, reached out to the older woman just in case she fainted, but she quickly waved the tall brunette away. "It's nothing, Mako-chan," she whispered, recovering from the attack. What was going on with her? Why was it that whenever she thought about the wedding, she felt this unbelievable pain?

"Are you sure?" Makoto asked, doubtful that Setsuna was telling the truth.

"I'm fine. Really."

"Maybe we should take her to the hospital and let Ami-chan check her out, just to be on the safe side," Minako suggested. "After all, it's better to be safe then dead."

While the other girls groaned at yet another mistake by the Queen of Misquotes, Setsuna smiled faintly. It was nice of the younger girls to be so worried about her, but she was sure it was nothing. Probably just stress, or something like that. She had been under a lot of pressure lately, preparing for next season and organizing her big fashion show. The fact that these attacks occurred whenever the wedding was mentioned must just be some strange coincidence. That's all.

"That's okay, Minako-san," she insisted, the color returning to her face. "I feel much now. Now, what were you saying about the wedding?"

Leading the girls over to the bridal section, Setsuna could feel another attack coming on, but this time she did a much better job of concealing it.

Nothing was wrong. Absolutely nothing.

* * *

Struggling to fit into a skin tight charmuese dress, Makoto let out a string of curses that could be heard throughout all the dressing rooms. Why wouldn't this stupid dress fit? It was a size 6, her normal size, so she didn't understand why she couldn't zip up the back. "Could somebody please give me a hand in here?" she finally asked.

Setsuna opened the door to Makoto's dressing room and tried her luck at closing up the back of the dress, but it was obviously much too small for the curvy brunette, even when she sucked in her stomach. "I'm afraid that you need a bigger size, Makoto-san," she informed her. "Do you want me to go find an 8?"

"What? A bigger size? That's impossible. I've worn a size 6 ever since high school. You're just not trying hard enough."

"Maybe you should stop eating all those rich desserts you make at your restaurant, Mako-chan," Minako teased, her blonde head popping over the divider between their dressing rooms.

Makoto glanced up at her friend and gave her an evil glare. "Are you implying that I'm fat? Because if you are, I suddenly remember a certain embarrassing photo of you that I have that I'm sure the tabloids would pay big money for. You know the one I'm talking about, don't you? The one where you stuffed…"

"Okay, okay. I take it all back. You're still as skinny and beautiful as the day I met you."

Makoto grunted in satisfaction as Setsuna let out a sigh. "That may be the case, but there is absolutely no way you are going to squeeze into this dress. Let me go get the size 8."

Despite the Amazon's objections, the designer wouldn't take no for an answer. Setsuna exited Makoto's dressing room and knocked on the one next door to check on how Rei was doing. "Rei-san, do you need any help in there?"

In answer, the priestess opened the door and stepped out, voguing in front of Setsuna. She was wearing the crimson dress that she had been admiring earlier, the one that suddenly wasn't too expensive now that Usagi was paying.

"How do I look?" she asked, looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror with a satisfied grin on her face. "Yuuichiro would just die if he saw me in this, don't you think?"

The green-haired woman nodded her agreement. The normally chaste priestess looked positively sinful in the cut-out dress. "That dress looks great on you, Rei-san, but I'm afraid that it might be just a tad bit too sexy for the wedding."

Rei sighed. "You're right, but a girl can dream."

She went back into the dressing room to try on the other dress she liked as Setsuna went to the back room to get Makoto's dress. When she returned, she found Rei and Minako modeling their dresses in front of each other. The movie star had chosen a one-shouldered tangerine number with a slit running up the side, showing off her toned legs, while Rei looked gorgeous in bright red halter gown. A few minutes later, Makoto came out as well, looking fabulous in the size 8 light green dress which she had no problem getting into.

"So, which one do you think the bridesmaids should wear, Setsuna-san?" Minako asked, striking a haughty pose in front of the mirror. The other two proceeded to pose as well, allowing the designer to get a good look at all three choices.

"I don't know, Minako-chan," Setsuna replied, realizing that no matter which one she chose, the other two would complain. She knew better to fall in that trap. "They all look great to me. Besides, it doesn't matter what I think. Usagi-chan has to make the final decision. It's her wedding after all."

At the mention of her name, the door to the last dressing room opened and out stepped Usagi, dressed in the gorgeous silk and lace gown that she saw in the show room. Her friends gasped at how beautiful and graceful she looked, just like a princess. Even Setsuna smiled despite the reoccurring pain in her heart. "You look beautiful, Usagi-chan," she whispered, struggling to hold back her tears.

Luckily for her, the other girls had tears in their eyes as well as they beheld the sight of their beloved princess.

Usagi didn't say anything at first, but simply looked at herself in the mirror. She twirled around a couple of times, letting the full skirt fan out around her. It certainly was an exquisite dress, but she wasn't sure if this was the one. It was a little bit too elegant and sophisticated for her taste. She always dreamed of getting married in something more romantic, with lots of lace and maybe trimmed with flowers…

"It's perfect, Usagi-chan," Makoto said, a tone of reverence in her voice.

"I don't know…" Usagi murmured. "It's a pretty dress, but I don't think it's really me, you know?"

Her deep blue eyes traveled to a single chair sitting in the corner of the room and rested on Setsuna's sketchbook, which she brought in when she went to find Makoto's dress. It was opened to the dress she had been working on when they arrived. Picking up the book, Usagi's eyes widened. This was it! This was the dress she always dreamed of wearing!

Though the design was far from finish, Usagi could tell that it was extremely beautiful. It was a white gown with a full skirt complete with a long train covered in lace. The off-the-shoulder neckline and short, puffy sleeves were trimmed with small white roses, and there were also roses on either side of the hips, attached to the removable train. To complete the ensemble was a long veil with a headpiece made entirely of roses.

"This is my wedding dress," she confidently declared, holding up the drawing for everyone to see. The other girls nodded their agreement of Usagi's choice, except for Setsuna, who seemed to be in shock.

"Bu…But I haven't even finished the design yet," Setsuna stuttered uncharacteristically. "How can you be so certain after only seeing one preliminary sketch? Don't you think you should wait and see how it turns out before you make a final decision?"

"I've already made my decision, Setsuna-san," Usagi repeated, handing the book back to the surprised designer. "I want that dress. It doesn't matter that the sketch isn't finished yet. I know what I like, and I absolutely love that gown. I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job."

"It'll be expensive. This type of design is very labor-intensive, and, of course, I use only the finest materials…"

Usagi whipped out her checkbook and began writing out a check right then and there. "How much should I make it out for?"

"Usagi-chan…"

"What is the price of the gown? I told you that I didn't care how much it costs. Oh, and go ahead and add their dresses to the bill, including that dress Rei wants so badly so that she can give Yuuichiro a heart attack."

Setsuna sighed, then pulled the calculator from her pocket, adding up the price of all their purchases. She told Usagi the cost, expecting her to faint at the sight of the six-figure total like Rei almost did when she heard how much her friend was spending. However, the blonde didn't even flinch a muscle as she wrote the check. Mamoru must have inherited even more money than Setsuna first thought.

"Are you sure you want to spend so much money, Usagi?" Rei asked, still recovering from the shock as Setsuna packed their purchases. "I mean, I can live without the 50,000 dress."

"Nonsense, Rei-chan. It's no problem at all."

Grabbing their bags, the girls exited the store, calling out their goodbyes to Setsuna. Usagi mentioned something about an engagement party at Makoto's restaurant next weekend before she left, but the designer barely heard. Instead, she sat staring at the sketch, tears streaming down her face.

That was _her_ wedding dress.

* * *

Slipping into her burgundy satin nightgown, Setsuna took a seat at her desk where she had laid her sketchbook and turned to the drawing of the beautiful wedding gown, the dress she had been hoping to wear at her own wedding. Why in the world did she ever let Usagi buy the design? She should have told her that it wasn't for sell. Usagi would have understood, but she seemed so happy when she spotted the drawing. How could she dash her princess's dream of the perfect wedding dress? Instead of being so selfish, she should be honored that Usagi loved the dress so much. That was her job after all.

After making a few minor changes, Setsuna threw the pencil to the side, unable to concentrate on the drawing any longer. Her fingers ached to tear the paper right of the book and throw it right into the garbage can, feeling that if she couldn't wear the dress, then nobody could, but stopped herself just in time.

This was so stupid! Why was she acting so childish? It wasn't like she was ever going to get married anyway…

A feeling of deep loneliness came over her as she realized the truth in those words. Setsuna had seen the future; she knew what was in store for her. There would be no handsome prince to say he loves her, no cozy little cottage in the woods, no sound of the pitter-patter of tiny feet… That was her fate. She was destined to remain the solitary guardian of the Gates of Time until the day she gave up her life to save Crystal Tokyo by breaking the biggest taboo, stopping time.

Perhaps that was what was bothering her so much about Usagi's and Mamoru's wedding, for she knew that Crystal Tokyo would soon be born and that she would have to take her rightful place as the Guardian of Time, leaving behind this world she loved so much. How could she say goodbye to Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru, the only real family she had ever known? And what would become of _Timeless Creations_? She didn't want to go back.

Out of all the Sailor Soldiers, Setsuna's memory of their lives' during the time of the Silver Millennium was the most vivid. She recalled almost everything. The pain, the loneliness, the solitude. Back then, she never really minded the sacrifices she had to make for her duty, for it was the only life she had ever known. Setsuna only had a handful of memories of her life before she was awakened, mostly of the times she visited her mother Chiyoko at the Gates of Time, whom she rarely saw. She never even met her father Chronos. She had always been alone.

That is, until the day Queen Beryl's troops attacked the Moon Palace. After she, Uranus, and Neptune awakened the sleeping soldier of destruction to destroy the final remnants of the ancient kingdom, an apparition of Queen Serenity appeared before them. She had used the rest of her remaining energy to seal those of the Silver Millennium, including Princess Serenity and her court, inside the shining power of the Silver Crystal in order to send them to a new future on Earth. As the kingdom no longer existed, the solitary Outers were no longer needed to protect the solar system from invaders. Thus, they too would be reborn with the others. However, Setsuna's time on Earth would be brief. When the kingdom was reborn, she would be forced to return to her post as the guardian of time.

Setsuna glanced over at the old-fashioned hourglass that sat on the corner of her desk. Haruka liked to tease her endlessly about it, finding it beyond amusing that the guardian of time relied on such an inaccurate instrument to tell time. However, her friend didn't understand the true power of that seemingly innocent looking hourglass, for when the last grain of sand passed through, Setsuna would have to return to the gates. A pain throbbed in her heart as she watched the sand shift through the small funnel, noticing just how little time she had left. How could time have passed so quickly? It seemed as if it was only yesterday that she began having those reoccurring dreams of her future self, awakening Sailor Pluto in the present time. Could it really have been seven years ago?

"Setsuna-mama?"

Hearing Hotaru's quiet voice, Setsuna popped her head up, only then realizing that she was crying. She wiped her tears away as her adopted daughter came up behind her and wrapped her in a comforting hug.

"Setsuna-mama, what's wrong?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice. Setsuna shook her head and forced herself to smile. There was no need for them to know yet of the future that awaited her.

"It's nothing, my little Hotaru-chan," Setsuna whispered.

"But you were crying…"

"I was only reading a sappy romance novel that Mako-chan lent me and I guess I got a little too into the story. That's all."

Scanning the room with her violet eyes, Hotaru saw no sign of the so-called "sappy romance novel" she claimed to have been reading. Furthermore, she also knew that her adopted mother would never read such light literature, preferring scientific papers and the classics to the trash of the latest Danielle Steel novel. Why was Setsuna lying to her?

"Why won't you trust us?" Hotaru asked. "Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, and I are worried about you, Setsuna-mama. You've been acting so strange lately. We only want to help."

_There's nothing you, or anyone, can do to help me,_ Setsuna thought sadly to herself. Turning back to Hotaru, she again smiled, trying to assure the teen that everything was alright. "I'm fine, really," she insisted. "Now, shouldn't you be in bed, young lady? It's almost midnight, way past your bedtime."

Hotaru rolled her eyes at the comment, relieved to see a little of the familiar Setsuna back."Come on! I'm a senior in high school. I don't have a bedtime anymore."

Setsuna stood up and opened the door, showing Hotaru out. "Nonsense. If I recall correctly, I believe that you have a major physics test tomorrow. You have to get plenty of sleep if you plan to do well."

"But, Setsuna-mama…" Hotaru whined as she walked, or rather was gently pushed, out of the room.

"Goodnight, Hotaru-chan."

"Goodnight, Setsuna-mama."

After she was certain that Hotaru had gone back to her room, Setsuna sighed and climbed underneath the satin sheets of her own bed. She really was going to miss that little firefly. After all, Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were about the closest things she had to real daughters.

Reaching over to her nightstand, Setsuna picked up a heavy silver picture frame which held a beautiful portrait of the unique family. There was Haruka in the back, dressed in what she humorously referred to as her "church clothes" (a pair of nice slacks, a pressed shirt, and the tie that Hotaru had given her for Father's Day) and a cocky grin. Beside her stood the always elegant Michiru with her arm wrapped discreetly around her lover's waist and her head resting on Haruka's shoulder. And Setsuna sat in front of them in a chair with a very adorable five-year old Hotaru (during her brief reawakening as a child), who was playing with a strand of her adopted mother's long green hair, sitting on her lap. They looked so happy together. They were a family.

Feeling another round of tears coming on, Setsuna placed the picture back on the table and gently cried herself to sleep.

* * *

A soft burgundy glow illuminated Setsuna's face, but surprisingly did not cause her to awaken. _She must be in a deep sleep_, the visitor thought. Reaching out with a small, tender hand, the source of the light let out a silent sigh as she gently caressed the sleeping woman's cheek.

Feeling the gentle touch of the hand, Setsuna slowly opened her garnet-colored eyes and found herself staring at a young teenage girl. "Hotaru-chan?" she asked, although she immediately noticed that the figure had longer hair than her adopted daughter.

The child shook her head as the glow surrounding her suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a very pretty girl with long ebony black hair pulled back in a simple braid and breathtaking red eyes, the same exact color as Setsuna's. Her skin was a beautiful cocoa color, complemented by the simple white dress she wore. Though from her height, she appeared to be about as tall as Hotaru (maybe a couple of inches shorter), it was obvious that she wasn't as developed as an older teenager. Setsuna estimated her to be around twelve or thirteen.

Much to Setsuna's surprise, the child kneeled down beside the bed and took her hand. She hadn't noticed it before, but the girl's eyes were brimming with tears. "It's me," the girl whispered, kissing her palm. "Masako."

"Masako?"

She repeated the name of the girl aloud with no recognition in her voice. Setsuna had never seen her before, although she did feel a strange bond with this girl that she couldn't quite understand. Realizing her mistake, Masako unfurled her hand and stared down at the intricately designed key which Setsuna recognized as one of the keys to the Gates of Time.

"I know you told me that I shouldn't try to use the keys until I was stronger, but I just missed you so much," the girl said softly, no longer able to hide her tears. "All I wanted was to see you again and ask you a question, but it is obvious that I went too far back in time. I'm sorry…"

Masako hid her face in her arms, allowing the sobs to rip through her body. Overcome with a strong emotion to comfort the girl, Setsuna began to stroke the back of her head. "It's okay," the older woman said, once the crying started to subside. "Who are you? What time did you come from?"

Masako wiped away a few stray tears and looked up at Setsuna. "My full name is Meioh Masago, and I come from 30th century Crystal Tokyo. Chibi-Usa-chan was the one who let me borrow her key so that I could go to the past, but I didn't mean to go so far back in time," she confessed.

Meioh Masago? Setsuna thought, wondering why this girl had the same surname as she did. Was she a long-lost cousin or maybe even sister? But that was impossible. Her Earth parents died when she was just a little girl, and neither of them had any other family. Who was she?

"Masago-chan, does your family know that you are here?" Setsuna asked. A flash of sadness flickered in the girl's red eyes.

"You are the only family I've ever known, but now you are gone and I'm all alone. That's why I wanted to talk to your past self…but never mind. You wouldn't know the answer to my question."

Masago stood up and began to glow once again as she raised the key above her head. However, before the time warp could open, Setsuna reached out and grabbed the girl's other hand. Though she couldn't explain why, she felt protective of the girl. Time travel was extremely dangerous, especially when she wasn't there to control the warp. She couldn't just let Masago go off by herself.

"Wait, Masago-chan," she ordered, standing up and taking the girl's hand. "I'll take you home."

"But I was…"

Setsuna shook her head. "I know what you are thinking. You still want to find the past me who can give you the answer to your question, but it's too dangerous by yourself. It's better that you just go back home."

"But…"

Setsuna took both of the girl's hands in her own and gave her a small smile. "Let's go."

In a flash of bright burgundy light, the two figures disappeared.

* * *

The next morning, Setsuna woke up in her bed, very confused about what had happened last night. It all seemed like some kind of dream, but somehow she knew that Masago had been a real person. She had held those small hands and looked in those sad eyes, understanding the pain inside. Setsuna had absolutely no idea who she was, but she did know that she loved that lonely little girl with all her heart and soul.


	5. Act 4 Hotaru's Crush

Act Four - Hotaru's Crush

A few days later, Hotaru came downstairs and found Setsuna sitting at the kitchen table, her coffee sitting untouched in front of her. She frowned. It was becoming a familiar sight around the house. She looked so sad. When was the last time she saw her beloved adopted mother smile?

Hotaru grabbed a box of cereal and a bowl and sat down at the table, right across from the depressed woman. Setsuna didn't even look up. The raven-haired teen didn't understand what was going on. There had to be something Setsuna wasn't telling them. She was sure of it.

"Good morning, Setsuna-mama," Hotaru said brightly, trying to bring a little sunshine into Setsuna's day. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

Setsuna's head jerked, finally realizing that she was no longer alone in the room. She smiled faintly. "Hi, Hotaru-chan. Get yourself some cereal."

"Um…I already did," she replied, pointing to her bowl with a confused, worried look on her face. This wasn't like Setsuna at all. "Is something wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

_Liar!_ Hotaru thought. She knew there was something bothering Setsuna. Only she had no idea what it could be. Ever since the day of the announcement all Setsuna did was sit around and mope. She wished she knew what was wrong so that she could help make it better. She hated seeing anyone unhappy.

Seeking to comfort Setsuna, Hotaru reached across the table and rested her hands over those of the woman she grew to love as a mother. Setsuna looked up once again.

"Setsuna-mama, if you need me or just want someone to talk to, you know you can trust me. You're not alone anymore. We're here for you."

A tear formed in Setsuna's eye at her daughter's kind and honest words. But for how long would that be true? After the wedding, she would have to leave and once again live her lonely life of solitude. Ironically, she never felt more alone than at this moment. She knew she was hurting her family by not telling them about her curse, but she just couldn't tell them. It was best that they didn't know.

Setsuna gently pulled her hands away from Hotaru's and discreetly wiped away the tear as the last two members of their family walked into the kitchen. As usual, Michiru was already dressed and ready to greet the world, a bright smile on her face, while Haruka looked like she was still half-asleep. She hadn't even taken a shower yet, coming downstairs wearing an oversized T-shirt and a ratty old bathrobe that Michiru couldn't get her to throw away for the world.

"Good morning, girls," Michiru greeted them, kissing Hotaru on the top of her head. "Did anyone get the mail?"

Setsuna waved her hand toward a stack of envelopes on the counter. Usually it was Hotaru's job to get the mail, but since she was the first one up today, she decided to check the mailbox.Grabbing a glass of orange juice and the letters, Michiru sat down at the table across from a yawning Haruka and began sorting the mail.

"Did I get anything?" Hotaru asked hopefully.

"Lessee…bills, bills, bills, junk, bills…Sorry, Hotaru-chan. Nothing today."

Hotaru sighed as Haruka picked up an envelope that had fallen from the stack in Michiru's hands. She looked at the envelope and smiled. It was from Usagi and Mamoru.

"Here, Hotaru-chan," she said, handing the envelope to her daughter. "You can open this. It's addressed to all of us."

Taking the envelope, Hotaru carefully undid the seal and pulled out a beautifully engraved card. She quickly scanned the message inside. "It's an invitation to Usagi's and Mamoru's engagement party! The party's going to be held at Mako-chan's restaurant this Saturday."

Michiru took the card from Hotaru, a mischievous look in her lovely eyes as she read the invitation. "You know, Setsuna, this party would be the perfect opportunity for you to go out on a date with Haruka's friend."

Inwardly, Setsuna groaned. She was still going on about this? If she told Michiru once, she told her a thousand times that the last thing she needed was a boyfriend. How could she get it into Michiru's thick skull that the lack of a lover was not her problem? If she wanted to, she could get any man she wanted. She did not need to be set up on a blind date.

"Michiru, I already told you that I wasn't interested in Suguri Yasashiku."

"Nonsense! You haven't even met the guy. How can you know that won't like him when you haven't even seen him? Haruka can ask Yasashiku-kun if he's interested when she goes to the track this afternoon. Right, Haruka? Haruka? Tenoh Haruka, wake up!"

The sleepyhead tomboy quickly popped her head up as Michiru playfully swatted her on the back of the head. "Huh? Yeah, whatever. I'll mow the lawn. Just let me go back to sleep."

"Oh, no you're not!" Michiru said, pushing Haruka back up before she could rest her head back down on the table. "Haruka, you're getting as bad as Usagi-chan. Have you heard a single word I've said?"

"Not really," she admitted, letting out another huge yawn.

"Well, I was talking about the engagement party and how it would be the perfect opportunity for Setsuna and Yasashiku-kun to go out on a date. Is he going to be at the track this afternoon?"

"Yeah. He and I are going to do some practice laps together."

"Good, then you can set up the date."

Setsuna shook her head. "No, Michiru. I'm not going on a blind date. No way, no how! I'll be perfectly fine going stag. Besides, the invitation doesn't include guests."

"That's not a problem. I'm sure Usagi-chan wouldn't mind if you brought a date. She probably didn't include a guest because she didn't think you would bring a date. Face it, you don't have any more excuses, Setsuna. You ARE going to go with Yasashiku to the party and you WILL have fun. Is that final?"

Realizing that she didn't really have much choice in the matter, Setsuna slowly nodded her head. How bad could it be, anyway? If he turned out to be a total jerk, at least she would have her friends to talk to. Michiru broke out into a triumphant smile as Hotaru glanced up at the clock.

It was 7:35 already? She was going to be late.

She jumped up and gave her parents a hug before grabbing her book bag and racing out the front door. "Bye! Love ya! I'm working at the hospital tonight so I'll be getting home late," she called, dashing down the drveway.

As she reached the intersection, Hotaru slowed down upon spotting her best friend, Araki Kimi. They always walked to school together. Kimi waved, and Hotaru smiled as she ran over.

While Chibi-Usa would always be her true best friend, Kimi reminded Hotaru a lot of her pink-haired friend from the future. They were both fun-loving and full of life with an insatiable appetite. Kimi was also one of the few people Hotaru was able to truly open up to since Chibi-Usa went back to Crystal Tokyo. She had even found out about Hotaru's strange ability to heal with just a single touch when Kimi twisted her ankle running down some stairs, although she didn't know about Sailor Saturn yet. Instead of finding her friend's unique power freaky like the kids at her old school, Kimi thought it was totally cool.

"You're late, Hotaru-chan," Kimi scolded lightly, not really meaning it. "I was beginning to think that you weren't coming."

"What! And miss Shibata-sensei's physics test?" she replied dryly. "Come on, Kimi-chan. We better get going. Haruna-sensei will be mad is we're late for homeroom, and we certainly don't want that to happen."

Kimi giggled as they crossed the street. "Really! Have you noticed how Haruna-sensei gets crankier with every passing year? She really needs to find herself a man. All work and no sex makes Haruna-sensei a real you know what. Maybe we should play matchmaker and set her up that new substitute teacher. He's pretty cute for a teacher. What do you say? Hotaru-chan? Hey, earth to Hotaru!"

Kimi waved her hand in front of Hotaru's glazed-over eyes, bringing her out of her thoughts. Hotaru couldn't help it. She was still worried about Setsuna. There had to be some way to bring her out of her melancholy mood.

"Is something wrong, Hotaru?" Kimi asked, giving her friend a weird look. "You're even quieter than usual."

"I'm just worried about Setsuna-mama," Hotaru answered, letting out a sigh. "She's been so depressed lately, and I have no idea what is bothering her. I wish there was some way to make her happy again."

"Setsuna-mama? Isn't she your straight mother?" she asked. Kimi didn't even think it was weird that her family consisted of a pair of lesbians and their straight, single friend.

Hotaru nodded. "I wonder what it could be that would cause her so much pain and unhappiness. I know it isn't work. She loves designing clothes and _Timeless Creations_ is doing great. Things couldn't be going better for her, business wise."

"Maybe she just needs a boyfriend," Kimi suggested, a twinkle in her eye. "I bet a good romp in the sack would put a smile on her face."

As they entered Juuban High School, Hotaru could feel her cheeks warm. That was the major difference between Kimi and Chibi-Usa. Her new best friend was a whole lot more knowledgeable about the facts of life, and she wasn't afraid to admit it. "Kimi-chan, honestly, sex is not the answer to all the world's problems," Hotaru whispered, changing into her school shoes.

"I don't see why not. It works for me," she replied gleefully.

"As you've told me about a million times already."

It really was a miracle that those two girls were friends. They were as different as night and day. Hotaru was quiet, polite, smart and most definitely a virgin. She'd never even really been on a real date before. On the other hand, Kimi was loud, sometimes rude (although not intentionally), not exactly a model student, and very experienced when it came to boys. Hotaru wouldn't exactly call her a slut, but Kimi had been around the block a couple of time. Despite all that, Hotaru knew that inside, Kimi was a good person. That was all that mattered. Besides, she rather enjoyed Kimi's raunchy sense of humor. It reminded her of Haruka.

Kimi pulled out a tube of lipstick and began applying the deep red color to her lips, using the mirror in her compact. "Speaking of sex, I've noticed that Kubota Hiroshi has been throwing looks in your direction. I think he likes you, Hotaru-chan!"

"Really?" she asked with a touch of disinterest in her voice. Hotaru wasn't really that interested in boys. Maybe it was because she lived with two lesbians and a woman who hadn't been on a date since the beginning of time. Of course, she noticed when a cute boy passed by, but she had yet to experience her first real crush.

"Come on, Hotaru-chan! You have to admit that Kubota-kun's one of the cutest guys at Juuban High School. Practically the entire senior class is in love with him. You should be happy that out of all the girls he could choose from, he likes you."

"I barely even know the guy, Kimi-chan. The only time I even talked to him was when we were assigned that project in Tomahi-san's class. Besides, everybody knows that Kubota-kun's a major player. Once he gets what he wants from a girl, he tosses her aside like a pair of last season's shoes."

Kimi rolled her eyes. "So the guy's had a couple of girlfriends. Is that such a crime? He's cute, he's nice, and he's majorly loaded. What more could you want?"

"Love," she answered softly. Above all, that was what she wanted - to experience a love that would rival even that of Usagi and Mamoru. But who would ever love the true her, the soldier of destruction who could destroy an entire planet just by dropping her Silence Glaive? No boy would ever love her if he ever found out the truth.

Hearing the bell ring, Hotaru began walking quickly toward Ms. Haruna's classroom, Kimi struggling to keep up as they pushed against the crowded hallways. Was it just her, or did the student body seem to grow larger with every passing day? Squeezing between two girls who were stupidly standing right in the middle of the hallway, Hotaru accidentally bumped into a tall man, dropping her her bag on the ground. They both bent down to gather her things.

"I'm so sorry, sir," she apologized, grabbing her book bag and stuffing some papers back inside. "I wasn't really paying attention…"

Her words trailed off as she finally glanced up at the man and found herself staring into the most gorgeous pair of dark green eyes she ever saw. The man smiled and handed Hotaru back her book.

"That's okay, Tomoe-san. It's not everyday I get practically run over by a beautiful girl " Shingo replied, helping Hotaru back up. Kimi had finally caught up to her friend and was smiling at the sight. "Good morning, Araki-san."

Hotaru could feel the blood rushing to her face at Shingo's compliment. When did Usagi's brother become so handsome? And why was her heart beating so fast? She could feel Kimi's elbow poking her rib cage, urging her to say something, but her mouth suddenly went dry and she could barely think in coherent sentences, much less speak. Fortunately, she was saved by the warning bell.

"Well, I guess I'll see you two later," Shingo said, heading to his class as Hotaru simply stared. Kimi looked like she was going to burst with happiness.

"You like him, don't you, Hotaru-chan?" she asked once Shingo was out of earshot.

"No, of course not!" Hotaru insisted, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her toward the classroom. "Come on! We're going to be late."

"You so totally like him!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Whatever!"

* * *

In her history class, Hotaru was having a difficult time focusing on Mr. Azuma's lecture, which was unusual because history was usually one of her favorite subjects. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not force herself to pay attention. The open notebook on her desk remained empty except for the title of the chapter "Pearl Harbor", written neatly on the top of the page and the small doodle of a heart.

_Snap out of it, Tomoe Hotaru!_ she ordered herself, picking up her pen once again and writing down December 7, 1942, the date of the attack. This was good. At least it was something. Unfortunately, she found her attention start to wander again to the handsome boy sitting across the room.

It was still hard for Hotaru to believe that this guy was actually the same little boy who used to torture her and Chibi-Usa with his constant water balloon attacks and practical jokes. She could still vividly remember the time that he stole her first training bra and stuck it in the freezer while she was spending the night at the Tsukino residence. Hotaru had never been so embarrassed than when Tsukino Kenji opened the freezer door the next morning and pulled out her frozen bra in front of everybody, including Mamoru, who had joined them for breakfast. At the time, she'd wanted to kill that little brat, but now, it didn't seem so bad. It was actually kind of funny when you thought about it.

Her little trip down memory lane was interrupted by Kimi poking her back with the eraser of her pencil. That was their signal for passing notes. Hotaru discreetly let her pen drop on the floor, then bent down to retrieve it and a small, folded piece of paper laying beside her foot. Sitting back upright, Hotaru quickly unfolded the note and scanned the letter.

_Hey babe!  
U look hot today. Meet U 4 lunch, kay?  
Kubota Hiroshi_

Great! That's exactly how she wanted to spend her lunch, talking to that arrogant, pompous jerk who wouldn't know how to please a woman if his life depended on it. She'd been way too kind in her opinion of Kubota Hiroshi this morning when she was talking with Kimi. Although she didn't know much about him, what she did know, she didn't like. Not only did he act like he was God's gift to women, he was also lazy and known to be a great lover of sake. Honestly, she had no idea why all the other girls had such huge crushes on him. He wasn't even all that good-looking in her opinion.

Hotaru had a sudden urge to roll up the paper and throw it right in his face. Instead, she simply placed the note inside her notebook and tried to focus on Mr. Azuma's lecture. She really needed to pay more attention. There was going to be a huge test on Friday over World War II that would count for over half her grade and she needed to keep her grades up if she had any hope of getting into Tokyo University's fast-track pre-med program.

But it was no use. She once again found herself drowning in the beauty of Tsukino Shingo's gorgeous green eyes.

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch, Hotaru and Kimi headed to their usual spot underneath the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard. Kimi was practically bursting with excitement at her friend's"lunch appointment" with Hiroshi.

"This is so exciting, Hotaru-chan! Kubota Hiroshi-kun actually wants to have lunch with you. I'm so jealous! You're so lucky!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes as she pulled out the lunch Michiru made for her. "Honestly, Kimi-chan, for all I care, you can have Kubota-kun. I'm not interested."

Kimi gave her a knowing smile. "I see… You'd rather go out with the handsome Tsukino Shingo-kun."

"I do not!"

"Don't try to deny it. I saw those dreamy glances you gave him in Azuma-sensei's class when you should have been listening to the lecture. I bet you didn't take a single note the entire class period."

"You're imagining things. Besides, Shingo already has a girlfriend, in case you've forgotten. Remember? Kayama Mika-san, the prettiest, most talented girl in the entire school?"

"You mean you haven't heard the news?"

"What news?"

"Tsukino-kun and Kayama-san broke up a couple of days ago. She's now going out with Kagawa Morio-kun."

Completely taken by surprise, Hotaru almost choked on her shrimp. "No way! Tsukino-kun and Kayama-san, Juuban High School's cutest couple, broke up? That's just crazy. They've been dating since sophomore year. Everyone expected them to be the first to marry in our class. I just can't believe it!"

"Want proof? Just look over there," Kimi replied, pointing to a couple sitting on a nearby bench.

Even though the proof was right in front of her, Hotaru still could not believe her eyes as she watched Mika lovingly feed her new boyfriend some sushi. They looked very much in love. Kimi must be telling the truth, but how was this even possible? And why was she actually happy that Shingo and Mika had broken up?

She didn't have time to reflect on this new development when Kubota Hiroshi came over and took a seat beside her, giving her an arrogant smile. It was taking all her willpower not to burst into giggles at the goofy look on Kimi's face. Her best friend obviously had a huge crush on the guy.

"Hey, babe," he said in a low voice, helping himself to piece of Hotaru's shrimp. "Remember me? We worked on that project for chemistry class together."

_Unfortunately._

"You mean the one that you had me do all by myself because you were too lazy to help me?" she asked sweetly, slapping him on the hand as he reached over to grab another shrimp. Hotaru thought Kimi was about to have a heart attack. "And, for your information, my name is not Babe. It's Tomoe Hotaru."

"Ouch!" he replied, a smile on his face. "Aren't you a spicy little number? I like a girl who speaks her mind."

Inside, Hotaru groaned in disgust. This wasn't working. He actually liked it when she insulted him. She glanced over at a lovesick Kimi, who was staring at Hiroshi with her large brown, puppy-dog eyes. "Kubota-kun, have you met my friend, Araki Kimi?" she asked.

Hiroshi gave Kimi a nod of acknowledgement. "Of course. Good to see you again, Araki-san."

The smile on Kimi's face could not get any bigger. She most definitely did like Hiroshi. Unfortunately, it appeared that Hiroshi did not have the same feelings toward Kimi. He reached up and began to gently trace the outline of Hotaru's jaws. "You know, babe, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever met," he said.

Hotaru didn't hear him. Her only thoughts were on Tsukino Shingo who was standing less than twenty feet away from them, a look of disappointment on his face. At that moment, her heart broke into a million pieces.

* * *

Hotaru quickly changed into her candy striper's uniform at the hospital and reported to the maternity ward, where one of her best friends, Mizuno Ami, worked as a doctor. It was Ami who recommendeded her for the job, knowing her dream to one day become either a nurse or a doctor.

Though she never told Ami, Hotaru always considered the blue-haired doctor to be her unreachable idol. Ami was everything Hotaru wanted to be: smart, successful, beautiful, and married to a handsome man she loved with all her heart. Her husband, Urawa Ryo, was also a doctor at the hospital, specializing in pediatrics.

"Ami-san? I'm here," Hotaru said, entering her office.

Ami smiled as she looked up from the chart she was reading. "Great. We could use some help..."

Her words trailed off as she noticed the sad look in the teen's pretty violet eyes. They looked even darker than usual. "Is there something wrong, Hotaru-chan? Did you fail that physics test you were so worried about last week? It's really not the end of the world you know. Everybody fails sometimes. Even I had some trouble in physics."

Hotaru shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. I don't really feel like talking about it right now, if you don't mind. I think it's just best that I get to work and try to get my mind off of things."

"If that's what you want," she replied, checking something off on the chart. "I know it isn't part of your regular duties, but would you mind organizing my file cabinet? I'm afraid I've let it grown quite unorganized lately. It's just been so busy around here. I would really appreciate your help."

Hotaru nodded. "Sure, Ami-san. I'll get right on it."

After handing Hotaru a stack of new patient folders, Ami left the office to check on Mrs. Takahashi, who was in labor with twins on the way. Hotaru thought Ami was really lucky to have such a great job. It must be incredibly rewarding to be able to bring a baby into the world, although she knew it must be heartbreaking for Ami, too. She knew Ryo and Ami had been trying for months to get her pregnant.

Hotaru opened the top drawer of Ami's filing cabinet and saw that the young doctor wasn't lying when she said that it was a mess in there. Quite frankly, she was a bit surprised. Ami was notorious for her perfect organizational skills. This wasn't like her at all, although Hotaru supposed that it was perfectly reasonable considering the stress she was under.

At least organizing the files kept Hotaru's mind off what happened earlier that day for a while. However, as she started on the third drawer, her thoughts inevitably turned back to the handsome man with the gorgeous green eyes. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears as she remembered the look on Shingo's face when he spotted her and Hiroshi together underneath the cherry blossom tree. How could she have been so stupid? She should have just walked away when that pathetic excuse for a man came over to talk to her. Now Shingo thought that she and Hiroshi were together and any hope she had of ever having him was gone.

She knew it was insane, but she now knew in her heart that she loved Tsukino Shingo with all her heart and soul. That morning when she accidentally bumped into him, she had felt an immediate connection between him. It only took one look into those beautiful eyes to know that he, and only he, could love her for who she really was, the soldier of destruction and resurrection.

But the damage was done and there was nothing she could do to change it. Her only chance of love had been dashed away the moment she let Kubota Hiroshi touch her cheek. Shingo would never love her now.

A knock on the door startled Hotaru from her thoughts. She quickly wiped away her tears and closed the drawer as a teenage boy popped his head inside. "Mizuno-san?" he asked, walking into the office. "I brought you a…"

His words trailed off as his green eyes focused on the dark-haired beauty dressed in a fetching candy-striper's uniform. Hotaru averted her gaze to the floor, not wanting him to see the tears that still lingered in her eyes. After all that had happened, why did HE have to show up here?

"Mizuno-sensei is not here right know, Tsukino-san," she said softly. "Do you have a message?"

Slowly, Shingo reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope, which he handed to Hotaru. "This is for Ami-san and Ryo-san. It's an invitation to Usagi's and Mamoru's engagement party. Usagi was supposed to send it in the mail, but you know my sister…" He let out a forced laugh, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had come over the room.

"Thank you. I'll give this to Ami-san when she comes back."

Hotaru turned her back toward Shingo and returned to her work, not even bothering to say goodbye. After staring longingly at the pretty teen for a few seconds, Shingo sighed and walked over to the door. _I guess she and Hiroshi-kun really are dating,_ he thought sadly to himself as he turned the knob. He must have misread the signs from this morning. How stupid was he to think that a girl as beautiful and special as Tomoe Hotaru would ever like a boy like him! Of course she would rather date the incredibly rich and handsome Kubota Hiroshi.

"Tomoe-san?"

Hotaru popped her head up from her work. "Yes?"

"I hope you and Kubota-kun are very happy together," he said sadly before walking out of the office.

Hotaru couldn't take it anymore. So what if she looked like a complete idiot? She had to tell Shingo the truth. He might not believe her but it was a risk she was willing to take. Stuffing the rest of the folders at the back of the cabinet, she ran out of the room toward the elevators where Shingo had just pushed the down button and was waiting.

"Tsukino-kun!" she called out breathlessly as she finally caught up to him. The elevator doors had just opened and Shingo was about to get on when she grabbed his arm. "Wait. Don't go. I have something to tll you."

"What is it, Tomoe-san?" he asked. "I really have got to go to the library and study for that history test."

She looked up at his emerald eyes and smiled, although still quite breathless from her sprint. "I love you, Tsukino Shingo."

Much to her surprise, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the empty elevator where he gently cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head up towards his, pulling her into a soft, sweet kiss that made her feel like she was floating on air.

"I love you too, my beautiful firefly."


	6. Act 5 Work Hard for the Money

Act Five - Work Hard for the Money

The next weekend, Usagi and Mamoru were getting ready for the engagement party, which was to be held at _Clouds,_ Makoto's five-star restaurant. As usual, Mamoru was already dressed in his tuxedo, while Usagi was still trying to figure out what to wear. He shook his head in mild annoyance. She was still the same old Usako, forever late as always.

"Usako, the party is supposed to start in less than an hour," he called out from the living room as he glanced at his watch. "We need to get going. You know how Tokyo traffic can get on Saturday nights."

She popped her head out of the bedroom and smiled apologetically. "It'll be just a few more minutes, Mamo-chan. I'm almost finished."

He had heard that before. On Usagi time, a couple of minutes had a funny way of becoming thirty. Sighing, he plopped down on the couch and put on a pair of small diamond cuff links. They were one of the few things he actually bought for himself with his newfound inheritance.

It was still hard for Mamoru to accept the fact that he was a millionaire. After years of working hard at dead end jobs just to put himself through college and law school and make a good living for himself, the successful lawyer still found himself pinching pennies, always trying to find the best deal. Even the cuff links were bought on sale. If they weren't, he never would have bought them in the first place. Mamoru supposed it was a fear of losing everything again that caused him to be so careful with his finances.

A stack of unopened mail sat on the coffee table. Figuring he might as well kill some time, Mamoru picked up the envelopes and began sorting through the mail. Most of the letters were for Usagi, who must have decided to have all her mail sent to his apartment now that they were getting married. He didn't mind. She rarely stayed at her own apartment anymore as it was. Maybe he should just go ahead and ask Usagi to officially move in with him so that she could get rid of the apartment. It was a waste of money to pay rent for a place that she hadn't used in over a month.

A smile crossed his face as he came across a letter from America. Mamoru ripped open the envelope and began reading the short letter from his best friend, Furuhata Motoki. In the note, he and Reika congratulated them on their upcoming marriage and apologized for not being to attend the engagement party, but assured them that they would make it to the wedding.

A few pictures of their new baby boy Joben were also enclosed, causing Mamoru to think about Chibi-Usa, his daughter from the future. He wondered when Usagi would become pregnant. From what he understood from their visit to Crystal Tokyo, their daughter was born a few years after they got married, but he wasn't exactly sure how long after. Was it a year? Two years? Mamoru couldn't wait to be a father. He hoped it was sooner, rather than later.

Setting aside Motoki's letter and photos, he picked up his bank statement and casually glanced at the numbers, not really worried about anything. Other than the engagement ring, the cuff links, and paying off his student loans, he hadn't really made any huge purchases, although he knew that Usagi had already bought her wedding dress and the bridesmaids' gowns, as well as planned the engagement party at _Clouds_. But how much could that be? A couple of thousand at the most, right? Maybe ten thousand, but he could live with that. He was sure that Makoto and Setsuna gave Usagi a good deal.

Boy, was he wrong.

* * *

Mechanically brushing her long dark green hair, Setsuna stared at herself blankly in the mirror. She was not looking forward to tonight. Despite her objections, Haruka went ahead and set her up with Suguri Yasashiku, her buddy at the race track. They were going to Usagi and Mamoru's engagement party together.

_How did I let myself get talked into this?_ she asked herself as she pulled half of her hair up in a bun like she always wore it. The last thing she wanted to do was go out on a blind date. Blind dates were always disastrous, but Michiru was very insistent. When the ocean beauty set her mind on something, nothing short of nuclear war could stop her. Setsuna finally understood how Haruka must feel all the time. Poor girl.

There was a knock on the door, and Michiru herself entered Setsuna's bedroom, looking very elegant in a teal blue strapless gown and her aqua-colored hair pulled back in a simple French twist. A stunning pair of aquamarine studs Haruka gave her on her last birthday completed the outfit and provided her with the only accents she needed.

"Is that what you're wearing, Setsuna?" Michiru asked with a touch of disappointment in her voice as she saw what her friend was wearing.

Setsuna looked down at the black velvet gown she had decided to wear to the party. It was a very simple, very classic design with scooped neckline and a full skirt. A strand of Tahitian pearls adorned her neck, along with matching studs for her ears and she wore a plain pair of black pumps. She did look extremely beautiful, but the time guardian knew that it wasn't exactly the most sexy outfit in the world, especially compared to the clothes she normally wore. However, she didn't want to lead this Yasashiku fellow on, especially if what Haruka said about him was true. Setsuna had no plans to further this relationship anymore than just a single date. She only agreed to going out with him to get Michiru and Hotaru off her back.

"What is wrong with what I'm wearing?" Setsuna asked, sounding a little more defensive than she meant.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" she exclaimed, not wanting to hurt her friend's feelings. "You look beautiful, but you are going on a date. Perhaps you should wear something a little bit more…date-worthy. Let me see what you have."

Before Setsuna could protest, Michiru plunged into her large walk-in closet and began tossing several dresses on the bed. The good thing about being a designer was that she always had tons of clothes to choose from, most which she never even got the chance to wear. Setsuna walked over and examined the aqua beauty's choices, all quite sexy and revealing. A faint blush crawled up her face as she held up one dress which was almost completely see-through. She had designed it several years ago but never could get up the nerve to actually wear the thing in public. If she did, she'd probably be arrested for indecent exposure.

"I'm not wearing this," she declared, throwing the dress back at Michiru, who put it back in the closet after letting out a sigh.

"I found it! How about this one?"

Michiru held up a maroon halter dress with a thigh high slit up the side. In the front, it was extremely low-cut, almost reaching her belly button, and the back was basically nonexistent. Reluctantly, Setsuna unzipped the dress she was wearing, letting it fall to the ground, and reached for the other. Again, Michiru looked disappointed. "Those undergarments are completely wrong," she said, going over to her chest of drawers. "You can't wear a bra with this dress and that underwear looks like something my grandmother would wear. Here, put these on."

Michiru tossed her a pair of black lace thong underwear. "I really don't think this is necessary," Setsuna said, catching the thong in her hand.

"You're right. Going without underwear is so much sexier."

"That's not exactly what I meant, Michiru. And since when have you become such sex fanatic? I thought that was Haruka's job."

Sitting down on the bed beside the rejected dresses, Michiru smiled. "I only want you to be happy, Setsuna. Yasashiku-kun is a very nice young man, despite what Haruka says about his reputation. Even though I know you are only doing this because I want you to, I'm still hoping that you and Yasashiku-kun will hit it off. It's been such a long time since you've had a lover. Can't you see that I want you to have what I have with Haruka? You're a special person, Setsuna, and you deserve to have somebody to share your life with."

Tears clouded her ruby red eyes as Michiru finished her speech. She was such a good friend. It was nice to know that she cared so much, although Setsuna could live without the fashion advice, especially concerning her underwear.

"Thanks, Michiru," she replied, giving her friend a hug. "And I appreciate you trying to help, but I can assure you that nobody is going to see my underwear tonight, so I think I'll stick with my granny panties."

"Are you sure?" she asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "You know what they say, 'Never say never.'"

Heading to the bathroom, Setsuna only shook her head, trying to hold back her laughter. That girl was getting to be as bad as Haruka.

A few minutes later, Setsuna came back out and modeled the new gown in front of Michiru, who enthusiastically nodded her approval. A low whistle caused both women to turn toward the open door where a tuxedo-clad Haruka was standing, her eyes bright. "Am I dreaming, or am I in babe heaven?"

Michiru walked over and playfully punched her partner on the arm before helping Haruka with her loose bowtie. It was amazing that after all these years of dressing as a guy, she still didn't know how to tie a simple bowtie. Michiru always had to do it for her.

As she watched Haruka bend down and whisper something in her lover's ear, causing Michiru to blush prettily, Setsuna couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. They truly did love each other even if Haruka did have a tendency to flirt with other girls. She wished with all her heart and soul to have a love like theirs, a love that went beyond time, space, and even gender.

After Michiru finished with the bowtie, Haruka came into the room and admired her handiwork in front of Setsuna's mirror. "Are you two ready to head to the restaurant? " she asked the two girls as she tightened the tie. "Hotaru-chan's already dressed and waiting in the convertible and Yasashiku-kun should be here any minute."

Michiru raised an elegant eyebrow. "I thought we agreed we would take my Mercedes instead of your Azurro Hyperion."

"But Michiru…" Haruka whined.

She couldn't help but roll her blue eyes. Michiru knew perfectly well why Haruka didn't want to take the Mercedes, because it meant that she would have to sit in the passenger seat for once. It was part of their agreement. Nobody but her was allowed to drive the Mercedes, just like nobody but Haruka could drive the convertible and the other three cars she owned, although she did sometimes allow Hotaru to drive her old Mustang which they had restored.

"No buts, Haruka. The wind will ruin my hairstyle, and you still haven't gotten around to fixing the button that puts the top up. I'm not going to ride in the convertible tonight, and that's final. Now go outside and tell Hotaru to get in the Mercedes."

Setsuna hid a smile behind her hand as Haruka left the bedroom, muttering some rather unkind words under her breath.

* * *

Mamoru simply stared at the bank statement in his hands, unable to speak or even move. This had to be some kind of terrible mistake. How could one girl spend so much on dresses and a small party? Reaching over to Usagi's purse and pulling out her checkbook, he flipped to the entries in question and just about fainted when his fears were confirmed.

**Timeless Creations** 273,469.23

**Clouds** 92,419.52

He quickly added up the totals in his head. The two checks totaled exactly 365,888.75, well over a quarter of a million dollars. Feeling the anger burning in his blood, Mamoru stalked over to the door to his bedroom and went in, not even bothering to knock.

Usagi, dressed in a pretty pink ball gown, turned around, surprised at the rude interruption. "Mamo-chan, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing the fire in his eyes. He held out a piece of paper which she took.

"This is what's wrong. What is the meaning of this, Usagi?"

Oh-oh. Mamoru was mad at her. He never called her by her given name unless he was angry. Usagi looked down at the paper, which was the bank statement, and shrugged her shoulders in confusion. She didn't understand what he was so upset about. "What is the meaning of what?" she asked innocently, giving him back the paper.

"These two checks. The one to _Timeless Creations_ and the other to _Clouds?"_

"I told you about the checks, remember?"

"Yes, but you conveniently forgot to mention how much you made them out for. Do you realize that you've already spent over a quarter of a million dollars on this wedding, and we've only been engaged for two weeks?"

Trying to calm him down, Usagi wrapped her long arms around his neck, which he immediately pushed away and sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. She was getting scared now. Mamoru had never acted this way before. She didn't like it.

"Mamo-chan, I don't understand why you're so mad about the checks. You're a millionaire now. We can afford to have a big wedding."

"You're right. You don't understand," he said bitterly. "How can you understand when you've never had to go hungry just so that you could pay the rent? How can you understand when you've never had to buy your clothes at the local resale shop, not because it was in style, but because it was all you could afford? How can you understand when you've never had to hold down two part-time jobs just so you could pay for your college tuition?"

His voice became louder and more hysterical with every question directed at his fiancée, who was practically in tears. Usagi never knew about this part of his life. She always knew that he was an orphan and that he was poor, but she never suspected just how hard he worked just to make a life for himself. Heck, she even thought he bought his clothes at the resale shop because it was in style. How could she have been so blind?

"I'm sorry, Mamo-chan," she said, enveloping him in a hug. "I'm so, so sorry. I had no idea!"

Mamoru found himself pulling away from her embrace. He loved her, but he didn't know if he could forgive Usagi for what she'd done. How could she not know how much this inheritance meant to him? How could she disobey his wishes that they talk to each other before making any more big purchases? How could she just throw money away as if it grew on trees?

"We'll talk about this later, Usagi," he said in a deliberately calm voice, walking to the door. "Freshen up and be in the car in no more than ten minutes. We're going to be late."

"We're still going to the party?" she asked, looking up.

"Of course we are. We might as well get our money's worth out of this thing," Mamoru replied. "And all I have to say is that Makoto's double chocolate cake better be the best damn cake I've ever eaten or I'm demanding a full refund."

With those words, he walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. And for once, Usagi was on time.

* * *

Again, Setsuna had to question her sanity as she impatiently stood on the veranda, glaring at the expensive gold Rolex on her left wrist. Yasashiku was late. Tardiness was not a quality the time guardian valued in a man.

Strike one.

"Haruka, are you sure your friend is coming?" she finally asked after another five minutes had passed. "The party begins in less than fifteen minutes. We're going to be late."

"He'll be here, he'll be here," Haruka said, taking off the front driver's side tire of Michiru's Mercedes. As luck would have it, they all came outside and found out that the car had a flat.

"He better, or somebody's sleeping on the couch," Michiru fumed. She actually seemed more upset about the whole thing than Setsuna was. "And Haruka, can you try just a little bit harder to stay clean? That tux is a rental."

"I'd like to see you try and change a tire without getting dirty. Why couldn't you realize you had a flat before I got dressed?"

Hotaru, who was sitting in Michiru's car, popped her head out of the window. "Why don't we just take my Mustang? I'll drive," she suggested, to which the three adults shouted a decisive "NO!" While the teen was a brilliant student, she was most definitely not the best driver in the world. Just last month, she almost found herself in a head-on collision with Setsuna's BMW and got herself grounded from her car for two weeks.

"I'd let you take my car, but I'm afraid it's too small for all of you to ride comfortably," Setsuna said, handing Haruka a wrench. "Why don't you take one of your other cars?"

"Because they're all in the shop getting detailed," Haruka explained. "The Mustang too, so we can't take Hotaru's car. But I'm almost finished here. It shouldn't take too long."

True to her word, Haruka finished changing the tire in record time, although she managed to make quite a mess of her clothes in the process. Michiru merely groaned, "Why me?"

"I thought you liked it when I'm dirty," her lover said wryly, winking at the aqua haired beauty, who rolled her eyes.

"Go back inside and at least change your shirt. It's filthy."

Haruka dutifully went back inside to change as Setsuna looked down at her watch for like the tenth time in the last five minutes. This was getting ridiculous! Yasashiku still wasn't here, and they were due at the restaurant in exactly nine minutes. Maybe he decided to stand her up. She wouldn't mind if he did. It wasn't like she wanted to do this in the first place.

Just when she was about to give up and go back inside, a bright red Ferrari sped down the street and pulled into the driveway behind the Mercedes. A handsome man with short black hair and chocolate brown eyes dressed in a well-cut tuxedo, jumped out of the sports car without even opening the door and walked to the veranda where Setsuna and Michiru were standing. A cleaned-up Haruka came out of the house and greeted the man.

"Yasashiku-kun, how's it going?" she asked, shaking his hand. "Did you ever manage to figure out what was wrong with your baby?"

"Yeah. Turns out that it was the engine that was giving me all those problems. Couldn't have come at a worse time, with the big race coming up. Hachiko's in the shop. We have to replace the entire engine."

"Too bad, man. So does that mean you're pulling out of the race?"

"Looks like it, unless some miracle occurs before next Friday. And I would have won that race, you know."

Setsuna simply rolled her eyes as Haruka and her date continued their little dialogue about cars. Ugh, another car freak and this one was even worse than Haruka. At least she didn't name her cars that Setsuna knew of.

Strike two.

The time guardian looked down at her watch, her ruby eyes glaring. The party was probably already starting, and Setsuna absolutely, positively hated to be late. Clearing her throat, she went over to Haruka and tapped her hard on the shoulder. "Are you going to introduce us, Haruka? Or should us other girls just leave you two here so you can continue your conversation?"

"Oh, right. Sorry," Haruka apologized. "Suguri Yasashiku, I'd like you to meet my very good friend, Meioh Setsuna, your date for the evening, and my daughter Tomoe Hotaru, who's sitting in the car. And of course you already know Michiru."

Yasashiku nodded his head toward Michiru, who smiled. "Nice to see you again, Kaioh-san. You look beautiful this evening."

"Thank you, Suguri-san."

He then turned to Setsuna and kissed the back of her hand, which she quickly yanked away. "And I must say that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight, Setsuna-san. Even more beautiful than Haruka described. Feel free to call me Yasa-kun."

"And you may call me Meioh-san," she replied sharply, none too happy with his familiarity with her when they had only just met.

Strike three. He's out!

Either he didn't notice the tone of her voice or chose to ignore it, though, because he took her arm and led her toward his car as the rest piled into Michiru's Mercedes. She considered yanking it away from him, but figured that it wouldn't hurt to spend at least a couple of hours with the guy since Michiru and Haruka had went through so much trouble to set them up. Who knew? Perhaps underneath that arrogant exterior was really a nice guy. Maybe she was being too rough on him.

Yasashiku opened the passenger-side door and helped Setsuna get in, earning him a brownie point, but it was quickly erased after he jumped back in.

"So, Setsuna-san, you ever driven in a Ferrari before?" he asked, quickly pulling out of the driveway and racing down the street after the Mercedes, which Haruka had finally managed to convince Michiru to let her drive.

"No, I can't say I have," she answered, staring out the window, watching the houses zoom by. "And I asked you to call me Meioh-san."

"Right. Just forgot. Anyway, this baby is one of the fastest things on the road today. Brand new. I just bought it little over a month ago and paid a pretty penny for it too, but I assure you that it was worth every last cent."

"Do you have a pet name for this car too?" she asked sarcastically, which he again didn't seem to catch.

"Of course. This one I call Sayoko, after my mother. She's a great woman. You'd like her. Maybe we can have dinner sometime at her house."

"I don't really think so," Setsuna muttered softly under her breath so Yasashiku couldn't hear her. Not that it mattered. He was still too busy talking to have heard her anyway.

"Do you like Italian? My mama makes the best lasagna it town. When my parents first got married, my dad was stationed over in Milan for a couple of years, so my mama became a pretty good cook. Spaghetti, fettuccini, pizza…you name it, she can fix it. She can even speak a little Italian. I guess that's why I've always been attracted to Italian cars, they remind me of her."

_Great, he's a mama's boy too,_ Setsuna thought bitterly. She wished she never agreed to this date. At least at the party she would have some other people to talk to and maybe she could pawn Yasashiku on one of the other girls. Minako and Makoto were always on the lookout for boyfriends, even though Minako and Asai appeared to be a couple now and Makoto was so obviously in love with Shinozaki that sometimes even Setsuna herself wanted to hit her on the head and knock some sense into her. Well, surely Usagi and Mamoru had some other single friends who would be all too happy to take the handsome, yet completely annoying, Suguri Yasashiku off her hands.

She was going to kill Michiru and Haruka for this.


	7. Act 6 Party Time

Act Six - Party Time

As Yasashiku pulled into the parking lot of _Clouds_ (he refused valet parking, fearing that something would happen to his precious Sayoko), Setsuna let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness they were finally there. If she heard one more thing about cars, races, and his sainted mother, Setsuna was going to scream.

Seriously.

Not even bothering waiting for him to help her out of the car, Setsuna quickly got out and began walking toward the restaurant, Yasashiku jogging to catch up with her. When he finally caught up, he wrapped his arm around her waist, much to Setsuna's irritation. "You in a hurry, babe?" he asked.

"You could say that…"

_Yeah, in a hurry to pawn you off on some other poor girl,_ Setsuna thought with a sly smile on her face.

Unfortunately, Yasashiku misinterpreted the meaning of that smile. He grinned cockily. "I see. Can't wait to get this thing over with so that we can finally be alone together, can you?"

_Over my dead body._

Seeing the rest of her family piling out of Michiru's Mercedes, Setsuna discreetly took his grubby hand off her hip and ran over to greet them. "Hey, guys! Did you have a nice drive?" she asked, noticing that Michiru looked a little green around the mouth.

"Never, never, never again," the aqua beauty said, shooting Haruka a look. "I never knew my car could go so fast. It's a miracle we didn't get a speeding ticket."

Haruka tossed Michiru her keys and grinned. "I was only going 80 m.p.h. I thought I was going slow. Besides, you were the one telling me to step on it so we wouldn't be too late."

Michiru shook her head in exasperation. Haruka had this amazing ability to turn everything she said into something completely different. "I meant that you should go the maximum speed limit, not try to break the sound barrier. We could have been killed out there! See, this is why I never let you drive the Mercedes. This isn't one of your race cars, Haruka. Leave the speed for the track and drive like a normal person on the highway."

The racer simply rolled her eyes at Yasashiku, who managed to catch up with Setsuna again. "She never lets me have any fun, you know."

Yasashiku laughed as Setsuna once again started walking away. "Hey, babe, where ya going?"

"To the party. We're already fifteen minutes late."

"So what? What will a couple of more minutes matter?"

She rolled her eyes and continued walking. He obviously didn't know her very well. Eventually the rest of the gang began following her to the restaurant.

_Clouds_ was recognized as one of the best and most exclusive restaurants in the Tokyo area, the product of Makoto's sweat and tears. The restaurant was her baby, and Makoto was involved in every aspect of the business, from the food to the interior design to even the beautiful rose garden that surrounded the building.

Walking into the waiting room, Setsuna was impressed with the subtle improvements she saw. It seemed like every time she came here, the restaurant became even more and more beautiful. It was Kino Makoto herself that greeted the group of five.

"Hey, guys," she said, smiling from ear to ear as she helped take off Michiru's stunning mink stole. "You're a little late, aren't you?"

Setsuna sighed and glared at her date. "Yes, we would have been here earlier if a certain someone had shown up at six like he was supposed to…"

Brushing off Setsuna's comment, Yasashiku stepped forward and kissed Makoto's hand. "May I be so bold as to ask your name, my lovely?"

Makoto giggled. "Boy, aren't you the charmer? I'm Kino Makoto, and I assume you are Setsuna-san's date?"

"Yes, I am. Suguri Yasashiku is my name, but you can just call me Yasa-kun. That's what all my lady friends call me."

"It's very nice to meet you, Yasa-kun. Let me show you to your table."

As the brunette Amazon led them to a long, rectangular table in the center of the restaurant where most of the other girls and their significant lovers were already seated, Setsuna hid a smile. This was going to be too easy. Yasashiku obviously considered himself quite the ladies' man. All she had to do was steer him toward another stunningly beautiful girl and she would finally be free.

"Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san haven't shown up yet?" Michiru asked, taking a seat beside Haruka. Yasashiku sat on the other side of Haruka, with Setsuna between him and Ami. Hotaru, surprisingly, took a seat on the other side of the table next to Usagi's younger brother, Shingo, blushing faintly.

"No, I'm afraid not, Kaioh-san," Usagi's mother Ikuko answered. "But why am I not surprised? Usagi's my daughter, and I love her, but she has never been on time for anything in her entire life. I'm sure she and Mamoru-san will show up in a couple of minutes."

Sure enough, the happy couple arrived about ten minutes later, just as the first course was being served. But Setsuna was surprised to sense a little tension between the two lovers as they took their seats at the table. Another person could easily fit in the empty space between Usagi's and Mamoru's chairs, and they hadn't said a word to each other since they arrived.

Had they had a fight? Setsuna wondered if anyone else sensed the strange vibes she was picking up, but everyone else seemed in pretty high spirits. She was probably just imagining things. Nothing would ever come between Mamoru's and Usagi's love for each other. Right?

* * *

At the other end of the table, Makoto let out a giggle as Shinozaki got to the punch line of a dirty joke he was telling. He was so funny, not to mention incredibly handsome, especially in the tuxedo he was wearing tonight. The famous chef thought she would melt into a pile of butter when he shot her one of his cute grins.

Shinozaki was thinking along the same lines as he lost himself in the beauty of his best friend's gorgeous green eyes. She was so beautiful, both inside and out. He only wished he had the courage to tell her how he really felt.Ever since the day he found Makoto standing in the rain, staring after her former boyfriend as he walked away, the two of them had been the best of friends. Most people had thought it strange that a boy and a girl could be just friends, but it worked for them. Their relationship had been one of the most fulfilling things in Shinozaki's life, but now he found himself wanting more.

He didn't want to be her friend; he wanted to be her lover. For years, Shinozaki fought his emerging feelings for Makoto, not wanting to ruin what they already had, but he was finding it harder and harder to deny how he felt. Makoto never had much luck in the romance department. The few long term boyfriends she had were all jerks, at least in Shinozaki's opinion. She deserved so much better. She deserved someone like him, who loved her for who she really was, not just her body. And tonight he would finally reveal his heart.

Shinozaki reached across the table and took Makoto's hand in his own. A faint blush traveled across her cheeks, making her appear even more beautiful if that was even possible. "Mako-chan, I…uh…"

Before he could get the words out of his mouth, their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Asanuma Itto, a close friend of Mamoru's, as well as Makoto. The pretty brunette stood up to give her old friend a friendly hug.

"Asanuma-kun, I'm so glad you could make it," she greeted him. "I was worried you weren't coming. It's been such a long time since we last saw each other."

"I wouldn't miss this party for the world," Itto said. The handsome young man planted a kiss on her cheek, causing Shinozaki to scowl in annoyance. "And might I say, Mako-chan, you have grown even more lovely since the last time I saw you."

"Oh, don't be silly, although I must say that you look pretty good yourself. Have you been working out?"

"Just a tad. I've actually been taking a karate class at university. It's a great way to keep in shape and to work off stress."

Shinozaki cleared his throat loudly, not appreciating being ignored. Makoto blushed at her rudeness, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Asanuma-kun, you remember my friend Shinozaki-kun, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. Good to see you again, Shinozaki-san," he said, holding out his hand. Shinozaki reluctantly shook his rival's hand, hoping that Itto was sitting at another table so he could get back to what he was about to say to Makoto.

He didn't get his wish. Makoto, being the kind of girl she was, insisted that Itto sit down in the empty seat beside her. Shinozaki was practically glowering at the two of them as they began eating their meal and talking about old times. This guy was ruining everything for him. Itto obviously was attracted to Makoto, and even though he hated to admit it, she appeared to like him too. From years of hanging around Makoto, he knew her flirting style, and she was definitely turning on the charm for him.

Though he tried to talk to Makoto, Shinozaki found himself constantly interrupted every couple of minutes, as either she or Itto recalled some other amusing anecdote they just had to share with him. He was getting quite sick of it. Finally, after Itto excused himself to go to the restroom, Shinozaki stood up and asked Makoto to dance.

A small orchestra began playing a romantic waltz as the couple walked onto the dance floor. Shinozaki pulled her close as they began to dance, enjoying the feeling of Makoto in his arms. "So, you and Asanuma-kun seem to be pretty good friends," he remarked, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voicce.

"He's one of the greatest guys I've ever met," Makoto replied. "We've been friends forever, practically as long as you and me."

"Really? Did you ever date?"

"No, of course not," she laughed. "What kind of question is that? We're just friends, nothing more."

"He seems to like you."

"Oh, Asanuma-kun's just a huge flirt. He's like that with all the girls, although you never would have guessed it when I first met him. And Shinozaki-kun, if I didn't know better, I would think you were jealous."

"Whose to say I'm not?"

As Shinozaki dipped her, Makoto's eyes widened. Was he actually saying what she thought he was saying? She slowly pulled herself up and allowed him to gently touch her cheek. Was it possible? Could he…

"Mako-chan, I love you," he whispered.

Makoto smiled as she brushed away a tear of happiness. She had waited so long to hear him say those words to her. This was unbelievable. "Oh, Shinozaki-kun, I love you too!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into the most passionate kiss of his entire life.

* * *

Smiling at the sight of Makoto and Shinozaki practically making out in the center of the room, Rei, wearing the sexy red dress that Usagi had bought for her, set down her fork and poked Minako, who was sitting right beside her, in the ribs. "Hey, see that? Looks like those two have finally gotten together, and all I have to say is, it's about time."

"Who?" Minako asked in a dreamy, spaced out voice, unable to take her eyes off her handsome escort for the evening. Rei rolled her eyes. It really must be love.

"Mako-chan and Shinozaki-kun, of course, silly!"

Minako reluctantly steered her gaze from Asai's beautiful eyes to the dance floor, a smile on her face as she watched Shinozaki pull Makoto in closer for another slow dance. As Rei said, it really was about time. It seemed like everybody except for Shinozaki and Makoto had known that they were in love with each other. As the soldier of love, Minako was glad to see that they had finally figured it out.

"Aw, they look so adorable together," Minako cooed. "I think I hear wedding bells in their future!"

"Oh, please, Minako-chan. It took them over ten years before they even kissed. I'll be surprised if they get engaged before the Black Moon attacks Crystal Tokyo in the 30th century."

"Rei-chan, do I sense a little bit of jealousy?" she teased. "After all, it now appears that you're the only Inner who doesn't have a boyfriend, fiancé, or husband. Although, if you ask me, Yuuichiro-kun is absolutely perfect for you."

Rei glanced over at her date for the evening, wondering once again why everybody kept telling her that the two of them were made for each other. She really didn't see it. Yes, Yuuichiro was handsome, especially ever since he finally shaved and got a haircut, but that was about the only thing he had going for him. Rei groaned as he accidentally spilled some of his wine on his only good white tuxedo shirt. She grabbed her napkin from her lap and began trying uselessly to wipe most of the wine off his shirt. This was really the man who she was supposed to marry? She'd rather be a nun.

"Yuuichiro-kun, you have to learn to be more careful," Rei lectured as the caretaker grinned. "I'm never going to be able to get this stain out. I guess you'll just have to buy a new shirt for the wedding."

Yuuichiro buttoned his jacket, trying to make the stain less conspicuous. "It's no problem, Rei-san. It's just a little stain. You can't even notice it unless you're looking for it," he replied.

"I'll notice it."

Yuuichiro sighed. There was just no pleasing her. And that was why he loved her so much.

* * *

An exotic looking woman with long, raven hair and eyes the exact color of emerald arrived at the restaurant. The hostess standing by the door led her to a small table in a dark corner of the room, giving the woman a perfect view of Serenity and Endymion. She smiled as she saw how the couple seemed to be ignoring each other completely.

Everything was working perfectly. Only one more thing was needed to ensure her success. She studied the other guests gathered around the table, her mystical eyes landing on a gorgeous woman with long green hair, garnet red eyes, and flawless cocoa colored skin. She was just the woman she was looking for.

The uninvited guest reached into her purse, pulling out a smooth green stone. The stone caused a surge of power to flow through her veins as she rubbed the surface with her thumb. Soon, she would get her revenge. Serenity and Endymion would pay for what they did to her mother. They were going to pay big.

* * *

Setsuna yawned as she listened to Haruka and Yasashiku talk about the big race coming up, bored out of her mind. Couldn't they talk about something that was more interesting than cars? Well, at least Yasashiku seemed to have forgotten that she was his date. That was something.

"Will you excuse me?" she asked, standing up. "I think I'll go for a walk in the gardens."

Yasashiku, breaking away from his conversation, glanced up at his date. "I'll go with you, babe. Keep you company."

"That's okay, Suguri-san. I'll be perfectly fine by myself."

Despite her wishes to be alone, Yasashiku stood up and led her to entrance to the gardens. He wrapped his arm around her waist as they began their stroll. Setsuna scowled, but decided not to make a big deal about it.

"The moon sure looks lovely tonight," she commented, trying to make polite conversation.

"Yeah, it's okay, I guess."

"Did you know that the moon is the Earth's only natural satellite?"

Setsuna could practically see the boredom wash over her handsome date as she continued with her lecture. She recognized the look on his face. It was the same exact look Usagi got whenever Ami tried to explain something she didn't understand (which was about every time the young doctor talked).

Still, she went on, describing the phases of the moon and about its composition, hoping that Yasashiku would eventually die of boredom and get the hint that she wanted to be alone. She wasn't so lucky. He instead grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. "Babe, why don't we talk about something more…interesting?" he suggested, a twinkle in his eye.

"Okay. Have you read about the new studies some scientists are conducting about time travel? Supposedly by the year 2080, humans will actually be able to travel back to the past. It's all quite interesting, although highly unlikely, in my opinion. Humans just don't…"

Laughing, Yasashiku put a finger to her lips, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Haruka warned me that you liked to talk about science and physics," he said. "Not exactly what I'd expect from a world-class fashion designer like yourself, but that's what I like about you. You're full of contradictions, Meioh Setsuna."

"Really? In what ways?"

Yasashiku placed his hands on her hips, pulling Setsuna closer toward him. She shot him a nasty look, but all he did was smile. "Take right now as a example," he said. "Here we are, in a beautiful garden with the moonlight shining down and nobody around, and you're still playing hard to get. You can quit the game, babe. You already have me. I was yours from the moment I first saw you, wearing this incredible dress that I have a feeling would look even better on the floor."

His hands traveled up from her waist to the daring neckline of her burgundy dress. Setsuna took in a shallow breath, not liking where this was heading. She reached up and pulled his hands away. "Suguri-san, I'm afraid I've given you the wrong idea," Setsuna said. "The truth is I only agreed to go out with you because Michiru wanted me to. I really have no desire to pursue a relationship with you."

"Who said anything about a relationship? Can't two consenting adults have a little fun together without it turning into something it's not? All I'm suggesting is that we ditch the party and head back to my pad, maybe drink a little champagne, put on some music, and see where it heads from there."

Setsuna was insulted. To think that the man in front of her actually believed that she would be willing to jump into bed with him on their first date! There was no way that she was going to become another one of the racer's many conquests.

"Suguri-san, I'm not that kind of woman. Now let's just go back inside the restaurant before everyone begins to worry where we've gone." She turned to go back in, but Yasashiku roughly grabbed her wrist.

"What if I'm not ready to go back?"

Setsuna's eyes narrowed. "Then stay out here and go play with yourself."

He pulled her toward him, pressing his body against hers. She struggled to get free from his grasp, but Yasashiku was much more stronger than she was, even with the extra strength she had as a Sailor Soldier.

"I'd rather play with you, babe," he growled, and kissed her forcefully on the lips.

* * *

Back inside the restaurant, Michiru was getting worried. Setsuna and Yasashiku had been gone for almost twenty minutes and still hadn't returned back to the table. Surely it didn't take that long to take a stroll around the gardens.

"Haruka, have you seen Setsuna or Yasashiku-kun anywhere?" she asked.

"No, but I'm sure they're just having a little bit of good old-fashioned fun," Haruka answered, grinning slyly.

The aqua-haired beauty swatted her lover on the arm. Trust Haruka to turn an innocent comment into something dirty. "Well, I'm going to go look for them before they miss dessert. You know how Setsuna loves Makoto's cakes."

Mamoru stood up before Michiru could get out of her chair, anxious for any excuse to leave the table. The silence between him and Usagi was becoming unbearable. "Don't worry about it, Michiru-san. I'll go find them."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. It's no problem."

Mamoru left the table and headed to the entrance of the gardens, taking in the beauty of the many varieties of roses surrounding him. He had always been partial to roses, especially red ones. Makoto really was an expert at growing the most incredible flowers.

He slowly strolled down the pathway through the small garden, searching for any signs of Setsuna and Yasashiku. A man and woman's voices could faintly be heard in the air, one of them sounding like Setsuna. Mamoru followed the voices to the back of the garden where the silhouette of a couple kissing could be seen against the night sky.

Though he couldn't make out their faces, he could tell from the woman's movements that she was struggling to get away from the man. Instinct took over Mamoru's body, and he ran over to the couple, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and pulling a clean punch against his chin. He then threw the attacker on the ground, the man holding his injured jawbone. The moonlight shone on his face, revealing it to in fact be Suguri Yasashiku and the woman with him was Setsuna.

Mamoru stood threateningly over the man, his faint shadow falling over Yasashiku like a blanket. "You better leave if you know what's best for you," he ordered. "If your sorry butt is not off these premises in two minutes, I'm going to call the cops."

Like the coward he was, Yasashiku quickly got up and ran toward the parking lot, his red Ferrari racing past about a minute later. Setsuna took in a deep breath, still a little shaken by the whole ordeal.

"Setsuna-san, are you okay?" Mamoru asked, giving her a comforting hug. "Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Mamoru-san," she replied, her voice slightly shaking. "You got here before he could do anything. Thank you."

The lawyer in him taking over, Mamoru pulled out his cell phone and handed it over to Setsuna. "Here, call the police."

"No, that's okay," she said, shaking her head. "He didn't do anything. It's over and done with. All I want to do is just go home and go to bed."

"I know that he is Haruka-san's friend and you don't want to get him in trouble, but he attempted to rape you, Setsuna-san. I was a witness to the entire thing. You owe it to yourself and to society to turn Suguri Yasashiku in to the police before he does something like this again. If you don't do it, then I will. That bastard deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars."

"No, Mamoru-san," she pleaded. "Please don't. I just want to forget about the entire thing. I don't think he actually would have raped me. He was just trying to kiss me, and I didn't want to. That's all."

"That's not what I saw."

"Please, Mamoru-san."

Mamoru sighed as he put the cell phone back into his pocket. He still thought that Setsuna should turn that jerk in to the police, but if she didn't want to, then he wasn't going to force her. "At least allow me to drive you home since it looks like you don't have a ride."

"But what about Usagi-chan and the others? You can't just leave right in the middle of your own engagement party. Go back inside and have fun. I'll just call a cab or something."

"I would feel a lot better if I drove you back to the house, though. You're still vulnerable and I don't think you should be by yourself at a time like this."

Reluctantly, she agreed to let him take her home. Truth was, she did feel a little bit shaken up by what had happened. Mamoru pulled out his keys, then led her toward the parking lot, not even bothering to tell Usagi where he was going.


	8. Act 7 The Affair

Act Seven - The Affair

The drive to the house was quiet. Both Setsuna and Mamoru barely spoke a word to each other, but it was a comfortable silence, one the time guardian was grateful for. She wasn't much in the mood for talking anyway.

Setsuna stared out the window at the passing lights, pulling Mamoru's tuxedo jacket closer around her body. She now regretted her choice of dress for the night. How could she have let Michiru talk her into wearing such a revealing gown? It was no wonder that Yasashiku lost control of himself. She wrapped her arms around herself in a hug, shuddering at the thought of what might have happened if Mamoru hadn't shown up at the right moment.

Mamoru, noticing her distraction, placed a comforting hand on her knee. "Are you sure you're alright, Setsuna-san?" he asked.

She nodded her head slightly. "I'm fine, Mamoru-san. It's just a little cold in here."

He reached up and turned on the heater, the warm air blowing pleasantly in her face. "Better?"

"Yes, much."

Silence fell over the two again. Mamoru turned on the radio to a local pop station, his hands beating on his steering wheel to the beat of an old Three Lights song as he waited for the light to turn green. Setsuna arched her eyebrow in mild surprise at his taste in music. He was the last person she would expect to be a Three Lights fan.

"What?" he asked, noticing the look in her garnet eyes.

"Nothing. I just didn't know that you liked to listen to 97.3 KPOP."

"I'm not really a fan. It's the station Usagi always likes to listen to in the morning when I drop her off at work. I can change it if you want."

"No, it's fine."

Setsuna glanced over at Mamoru, noticing a sad look in his eyes. She suspected his melancholy mood had to do with Usagi. They must have had a fight or something. It would explain why they hadn't said a single word to each other the entire evening and how he was so eager to take her home, leaving Usagi behind at the party.

"Mamoru-san, I don't mean to pry, but did you and Usagi get into an argument?" Setsuna asked. "I sensed a distance between the two of you tonight at the restaurant."

He let out a deep breath. It appeared that they hadn't managed to keep their little fight a secret after all. "We had a disagreement over some money issues," he finally admitted. "Usagi's been spending money right and left on this wedding. Can you believe she's already spent over a quarter of a million dollars of my inheritance?"

Setsuna blushed faintly, remembering the large check Usagi wrote out to _Timeless Creations_ that day the girls came to pick out their dresses. "Usagi-chan probably just didn't realize how much money she was spending. Math never was her best subject. I'm sure you two will work it out somehow. After all, you are destined to be together."

Another of her familiar attacks came over her, the ache in her heart even worse than before. Setsuna tightly shut her eyes, hoping the pain would go away quickly. When would this end? The throbbing subsided a couple of seconds later, and she glanced over at Mamoru, hoping he hadn't noticed.

However, she found him staring straight ahead at the road, a tear running down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away. "I don't know if I can forgive her, Setsuna-san," he said is a low voice.

"What do you mean? Of course you can," Setsuna said, ignoring another ache in her heart. "It's not like she cheated on you or something like that. She simply made a mistake. Is money worth giving up the love of your life? You two are destined to be together."

"I know that, but sometimes I think what life would be like if I didn't know the future," Mamoru confessed. "It's a burden to know your destiny, Setsuna-san. I love Usako, I really do, but…what if I just love her because I know I have to love her? Suppose Chibi-Usa never came to the past and we never knew about Crystal Tokyo. Would I still love her?"

Mamoru had no idea why he found himself admitting these feelings of doubt to of all people, Setsuna. They'd never been particularly close. The mysterious time guardian tended to keep to herself, much like he did. He looked over at his companion, who was staring at the folded hands in her lap in quiet contemplation.

"You can't change destiny, Mamoru-san," she finally said mournfully. Mamoru had never seen such a sad look in Setsuna's pretty red eyes. He felt that she was saying that for her benefit, as well as his. "I can't tell you what would have happened if you hadn't visited the future, but the one thing I do know is that it is your destiny to marry Usagi-chan and rule along side her as King Endymion. If you don't, Crystal Tokyo will fail to exist and the hope of a happy future is gone."

The future king of Earth let out a sigh, knowing that what Setsuna said was the truth. He'd seen the future. He knew his destiny, and it was a great one, one that he fought to protect from the evils of the Black Moon Kingdom. But lately, ever since Minako returned home to Tokyo, Mamoru found himself having doubts about his love for Usagi. He was lost for an explanation.

Her carelessness with his inheritance was just the tip of the iceberg. He was finding faults with everything she did and said. Even tonight, he couldn't help thinking that Usagi resembled a blob of cotton candy in that ridiculous pink ball gown she decided to wear to the party. It wasn't like him at all. Everything he once loved about her seemed so annoying and childish. Perhaps it was just pre-wedding jitters.

"We are all prisoners of Destiny…"

Setsuna hadn't meant to say the words aloud, but they were out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Beside her, Mamoru nodded his head in silent agreement as he drove into the driveway of her house. He understood exactly what she meant. They were all at the mercy of fate.

Though she insisted that she would be fine, Mamoru walked her to the house. Setsuna pulled out her key from her purse, unlocking the front door, but did not immediately go inside. "Thank you, Mamoru-san, for everything," she said, looking up into his dark blue eyes.

_Were they always so beautiful?_ she thought. Setsuna felt a pleasant shiver run up her spine as Mamoru, for reasons unknown, reached up and gently touched her cheek.

"Are you sure you are going to be okay, all alone in this huge house?" he asked.

"I'll be alright, but…" Setsuna said, biting her bottom lip. She would be fine by herself, but she had this sudden urge for Mamoru to stay. A small smile on her face, Setsuna opened the door. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

His throat suddenly parched, Mamoru nodded his head and silently followed the beautiful guardian of time into the house.

Usagi was starting to worry. The chair beside her remained empty, though over an hour had passed since Mamoru left to find Setsuna and Yasashiku. The two lovers also failed to return, but the blonde could understand their absence. She wringed the linen napkin in her hands nervously, wondering what could be keeping Mamoru.

Her fiancé had been acting most strange lately, though. The fight they shared earlier that evening was just the most recent example of Mamoru's changed behavior, and Usagi didn't like it one bit. All that money must be going to his head.

"Where the heck is he?" she asked, half to herself, half aloud.

Naru, sitting beside her best friend, shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he's still out in the gardens," she suggested, taking a drink of her champagne. "You know how Mamoru loves roses. Besides, it is a beautiful night. It's almost a shame to stay inside. Right, Gurio?"

There was a tone of suggestion in her voice, directed at her long time boyfriend. Unfortunately, Umino Gurio failed to pick up on her subtle hint. "If you don't have allergies," he answered, sneezing in his napkin. "My nose is killing me."

Naru rolled her eyes in mild annoyance as Usagi stood up, excusing herself from the party. She then went out into the beautiful rose garden, searching for Mamoru.

Though there were quite a few people outside, enjoying the beautiful night sky, Mamoru was not among them. Usagi twisted her engagement ring around on her finger in worry. It wasn't like him to just disappear without telling her, even if they weren't exactly talking to each other. Surely he would have left a message with one of the other girls if he had decided to leave.

She found the young man who parked their car, asking him if Mamoru had left. The valet informed her that he did in fact leave about forty-five minutes ago. Usagi gave him a twenty dollar tip and headed back inside, tears clouding her lovely blue eyes. How could he do something like this, especially at their engagement party?

When she returned back to the table, she found everybody getting ready to leave. The party was just about ending. Usagi put a smile on her face as she thanked everybody for coming, but Naru didn't fail to notice the hurt in her best friend's eyes.

"Usagi-chan, did you find Mamoru?" she asked.

Usagi shook her head. "The valet said he left about an hour ago. I guess he felt sick or something," she lied.

"Well, do you need a ride back to the apartment? Gurio and I would be happy to drop you off."

She shot her friend a grateful smile. "Thanks, Naru-chan. You're such a good friend."

"It's nothing."

After Umino finished drinking his glass of champagne, Usagi followed the couple out to the parking lot. It was taking all her willpower not to burst into tears.

Why did Mamoru leave?

The woman with the emerald green eyes watched the events unfold around her, a satisfied smile on her face. Everything was happening right on schedule. Both Endymion and the sexy green-haired woman had left and were undoubtedly together. It was only a matter of time before the prince and princess's engagement was called off and she could put the next step of her plan into  
action.

She flagged down one of the waiters at a nearby table and ordered a bottle of wine. It was time to celebrate her victory. When the waiter finished filling her glass, she held it up toward the leaving party, a silent toast on her lips.

"Cheers, my dear Serenity and Endymion."

As she prepared a pot of coffee in the kitchen, Setsuna snuck a glance at Mamoru, who was sitting on the love seat in the living room. He was flipping through one of Haruka's hot rod magazines, but she could tell he wasn't really reading it. He was still too upset about his fight with Usagi to focus.

Sensing her gaze on him, Mamoru looked up from the magazine, causing Setsuna to blush slightly. Her heart pounded loudly against her chest as his sapphire blue eyes locked with her own. "Um…how do you like your coffee, Mamoru-san?" she asked quickly.

"Black is fine."

She nodded, pulling two mugs from the cabinet. Her hands were shaking while she poured the coffee, almost causing her to drop one of the mugs on the floor. Why was she suddenly so nervous around Mamoru? Maybe she was still a little bit jumpy from her experience with Yasashiku.

To calm her nerves, Setsuna took in a few deep breaths. This was ridiculous. She had nothing to be afraid of. Mamoru would never hurt her. He was her knight in shining armor.

Setsuna put a couple of spoonfuls of sugar into her coffee, then went into the living room, handing the other mug to a silent Mamoru, who nodded his thanks. She took the seat beside him on the small couch, taking a sip of the bitter liquid. Making coffee was definitely not her forte. Even with the sugar, she could still taste the tart flavor. Mamoru didn't seem to mind though.

"Read anything interesting?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Mamoru shook his head and closed the magazine, tossing it back on the coffee table. "I'm not really interested in cars," he replied. "Just trying to keep my mind off…"

His words trailed off, but he didn't need to finish for Setsuna to understand. They'd both been hurt tonight. Her hand found his, and she gave it a tiny squeeze. "It'll all work out in the end, Mamoru-san."

Surprised by the time guardian's gentle display of affection, he glanced up, staring straight into Setsuna's gorgeous red eyes that would put even the rarest Burmese rubies to shame. They were positively spellbinding. He suddenly felt a strange feeling wash over him, as if someone else had taken over his body and there was nothing he could do to control it. Was she always so beautiful?

Before either of them knew what was happening, Mamoru brought his lips to her own, kissing her softly. Although she knew somewhere at the back of her mind that it was wrong, she no longer cared. Setsuna found herself responding hungrily to his kisses. It felt so good to be in his arms.

Reluctantly, he pulled away, his eyes widened in surprise at what he had just done. What was he thinking? He was engaged to Usagi; she was the one he loved. But he couldn't deny this strange magnetic attraction he suddenly felt toward Setsuna -- an attraction that was growing stronger by the minute.

"I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "I don't know what came over me. I just felt this urge…"

Setsuna reached up and put a finger to his lips. "It's okay. I felt it too," she said before kissing him again.

A soft smile on her face, she stood up and pulled him up from the couch. "Let's go somewhere a little more comfortable," she said, leading him up the stairs and suddenly grateful that she took Michiru's advice about the thong after all.

Mamoru, blocking away a fleeting thought of Usagi, was only too willing to oblige.

Naru and Umino dropped Usagi off at Mamoru's apartment building around ten o'clock. She was disheartened not to find Mamoru's car in the parking lot. A part of her hoped he really had gotten sick and decided to go home, but that was evidently not the case. Usagi said goodbye to her friends, then slowly walked upstairs to his apartment.

The door was locked, as to be expected. Usagi briefly thought about just leaving and heading over to her own apartment, but she didn't have a ride. Naru and Umino were already gone, and she hated to take public transportation at night. So she unlocked to door and entered the darkened apartment.

The living room seemed eerily quiet without Mamoru or Luna around. Her guardian cat had been spending more and more time with Artemis lately, but Usagi wished she was around so that she would at least have someone to talk to about Mamoru.

She didn't understand what she was doing wrong. Maybe it was a bad idea to have spent so much money on the party and the dresses, but it wasn't like they didn't have the money to spare. Mamoru's inheritance was more than generous. Was it such a horrible thing to want to have a beautiful wedding?

Deciding that it was no use to worry about it now, Usagi undressed and put on her nightgown. They would talk about it tomorrow. All she wanted to do was snuggle under the covers and go to sleep.

But sleep did not come for her. Usagi was too preoccupied with her thoughts. An hour passed and Mamoru still hadn't come home. Usagi was worried. She thought about calling the police, but decided to give him a couple of more hours.

Finally, at around midnight, she heard the familiar sound of Mamoru's footsteps in the living room. He walked into their bedroom a few minutes later with his jacket swung over shoulder and his bowtie undone.

"Where were you?" she asked softly as he tossed his jacket over on the armchair that sat in the corner and started undressing.

"Out," Mamoru answered, quickly shifting his gaze from his fiancée's questioning eyes.

From the tone in his voice, Usagi figured it would be best if she didn't ask anymore questions. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about it. Tears clouded her eyes as he slid into bed beside her, not even bothering to give her a goodnight kiss.

But that was not the reason she wanted to cry. Surrounding him was the scent of a sweet smelling perfume that Usagi didn't recognize as her own. That could only mean one thing.

He had been with another woman.

She turned away from Mamoru and silently cried herself to sleep.


	9. Act 8 Prisoner of Time

Act Eight - Prisoner of Time

Setsuna woke up the next morning, immediately glancing over at the empty spot beside her on the bed, as if she expected someone to be laying there with her. She'd had the strangest dream last night. A shiver traveled up her spine in the coldness of the autumn morn, causing the green-haired woman to pull the covers up over her shoulders. Only then did she realize she was completely nude.

"What happened last night?" she asked herself, sitting up in her bed. "Did I…"

She quickly shook her head. No, that couldn't be it, right? Mentally, she went through the events of the previous evening, trying to remember what had happened. Yasashiku was late. She remembered that. They arrived at the party seventeen minutes after it was scheduled to begin (she took notice of such minute things), but the guests of honor weren't there yet either. Usagi and Mamoru then showed up a few minutes later and dinner was served. She'd gotten bored, so she went for a walk in the garden with Yasashiku. Though she tried to get him to leave her alone, Haruka's friend didn't take no for an answer and he-

She shuddered at the memory. Yasashiku tried to take advantage of her, but somebody rescued her from the monster. Someone with gorgeous sapphire eyes and hair the color of night. Chiba Mamoru, her princess's fiancé. He'd offered to take her home, and she had invited him in for some coffee. And then he kissed her…

Setsuna closed her eyes and took in a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. It wasn't a dream. She had made love to the one man she could never have.

"What have I done?" Setsuna moaned, hiding her face in her hands.

Usagi would kill her if she ever found out that she had slept with Mamoru, especially on the night of their engagement party. But she had been vulnerable after the incident with Yasashiku, and Mamoru had treated her with such kindness and understanding... He was her knight in shining armor. Who knew what might have happened if he hadn't show up at just the right moment. It was only natural that she would turn to him for comfort.

Setsuna remembered Mamoru had been hurting, too. He and Usagi got into an argument before coming to the party and were barely speaking to each other. She had tried to comfort Mamoru in his grief, but somehow Setsuna ended up falling deeply in love with him, just like that, almost as if she was under some kind of spell. She couldn't explain it, but in him, she finally found someone who understood the profound loneliness she felt in her heart and knew the pain of living under the uncaring eyes of Destiny. They were kindred spirits who turned to each other in a time of deep anguish.

But now what would happen? She, of all people, knew the possible consequences of her actions last night. That single night of passion with the future king could put the entire course of time in jeopardy. If Usagi ever found out and decided to call off the wedding, Crystal Tokyo and Small Lady would cease to exist, and it would be all her fault.

She needed to talk to Mamoru. He had to understand that no matter what happened last night, and no matter what feelings they had for each other, Usagi could never know about their betrayal. The wedding must go on as scheduled, despite the unhappiness it would cause.

The aroma of fresh brewed coffee coming from the kitchen tickled at her nose, luring Setsuna from her bed. She quickly put on her longest robe and pulled her hair into a ponytail, hoping she didn't look too horrible. She then reached for her phone to call Mamoru, but decided that now was probably not the best time, especially if Usagi had spent the night, so she promised to call him later and went to the kitchen. Downstairs, the rest of the family was already dressed and eating the breakfast Michiru had made. Haruka shot the time guardian a knowing grin as Setsuna sat down at her usual spot at the kitchen table.

"Aren't we the sleepyhead this morning?" the tomboy teased. "I presume the date went better than expected, although you could have at least told us you two were leaving instead of sneaking out."

"Yeah, whatever," Setsuna mumbled, peeling an orange from the fruit bowl. The last thing she wanted to talk about was Suguri Yasashiku.

Beside her, Michiru playfully dug her elbow into Setsuna's ribcage. "So, what happened? We want to know all the details. Well, maybe not everything… Are you two going out again?"

Setsuna shook her head. "No, I don't think so, Michiru."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say that he didn't satisfy me."

Haruka, always the one to take a comment the wrong way, spit her coffee back in the mug and began snickering loudly, causing her lover to reach across the table and slap her on the hand. Quite honestly, Setsuna didn't care how they interpreted the sentence. If Haruka wanted to take it as meaning that Yasashiku was bad in bed and decided to make jokes at his expense, that was fine by her. In fact, Setsuna hoped she did. It was high time somebody took that guy's ego down a couple of notches.

Hotaru, glancing over at the wall clock, stood up and began clearing her place. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" Setsuna inquired, taking the attention off her for the moment.

The teen blushed as she put her plate in the sink. "Tsukino-kun asked me to the movies. We're going to catch an early matinee and maybe go hang out at the mall for a couple of hours."

Haruka immediately went into her protective father mode at the mention of her adopted daughter's impending date with the handsome boy. "And just when were you planning on telling us about this date?"

"It's not a big deal, Haruka-papa. I wouldn't even call it a real date."

"A date is a date is a date. What movie are you going to see? It better not be that new Chris Winters flick. I heard that movie has more sex than a whorehouse in Vegas, and I wouldn't want young Tsukino-kun to get any crazy thoughts in his head."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. Sometimes Haruka could be just as bad as the infamous Tsukino Kenji, Shingo's father. "Don't worry. We'll probably go see that new horror movie that just came out."

"That's almost just as bad. Don't think I don't know what happens during the scary parts of a horror movie. I've pulled that trick plenty times before myself."

"On whom?" Michiru asked, jealously dripping in her voice. "You never put the moves on me at the movies."

"That's because you never give me the chance. You're too busy talking about how the monsters in that movie are completely unrealistic and that if they asked you to design the monsters, you would show them what a youma really looks like."

"That doesn't mean I don't want you to comfort me! And who were those other girls?"

Hotaru, sensing a fight brewing between the two lovers, started walking toward the door. Setsuna followed. A Michiru/Haruka fight was not a pretty sight. "I'm going to go get ready now," the teen called out.

"I want to have a talk with Tsukino-kun before you leave, Hotaru-chan," Haruka said.

"Fine."

"Don't change the subject, Tenoh Haruka! I want names and dates."

The two of them slipped out of the kitchen just as the shouting match began. Setsuna let out a loud sigh of relief. Michiru and Haruka rarely fought, but when they did, it usually concerned the tomboy's tendency to flirt with other girls or her racing.

"I didn't mean to cause another fight," Hotaru said mournfully.

"It'll be okay, Hotaru," Setsuna assured her. "Go upstairs and get ready for your date."

"But…"

The older woman shooed her up the stairs. "They'll work it out, just like always. I promise. They love each other and nothing will ever change that. Don't worry about it."

"I guess you're right," she conceded, going up to her room.

"Of course I am. Love conquers everything."

As she watched her daughter racing up the stairs, Setsuna felt a tear run down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away. True, love had the power to overcome almost any obstacle, but one would always stand in her way.

Her destiny.

* * *

Bright morning sunlight blinded Mamoru as he slowly opened his eyes and groaned. He felt horrible. He must have had a little too much to drink at the party last night. Funny he only remembered having one glass of champagne and that disgusting cup of coffee at Setsuna's house…

Setsuna. He moaned even louder, suddenly remembering the events of last night. Her silky cocoa skin, her soft lips, her nubile body… Mamoru quickly sat up, rubbing his pounding temples. What had they done?

The silhouette of his fiancée stood staring out the window, a mug of coffee in one hand and a rumpled tissue in the other. Mamoru was surprised to find Usagi up so early. She usually didn't wake up before him, and she never got out of bed so early in the morning unless he physically dragged her off the mattress.

"Usako…"

She turned her head toward him, revealing her puffy, bloodshot eyes. It was obvious that she had been crying. Mamoru felt a pang of guilt in his heart. He never wanted to hurt her. He slowly got out of bed and went over to Usagi, resting his comforting hands on her shoulders.

"Don't touch me," she ordered, pulling away from his grasp.

"What's wrong?" he asked, dreading the answer. "Why were you crying?"

Usagi turned around and stared directly into his eyes. "Where were you last night?" she countered, giving him one last chance to come clean. All she wanted was the truth, even if it meant learning that her fiancé had slept with another woman. That was forgivable. Lying was not.

His gaze lowered, not trusting himself. Usagi could never know what happened last night. It would destroy everything. "I told you I was out."

"With who?"

Mamoru let out a breath. "A friend," he finally answered truthfully. "I gave a friend who wasn't in any condition to drive a ride home."

"They couldn't have called a cab?"

"I didn't think she should be alone. Something…something happened to her."

"Her? It was a girl friend?" Usagi's voice was quivering. Although she had expected as much, it still hurt to hear him admitting to it. "Does this friend have a name? What happened to her?"

He shook his head. "I'd rather not talk about it, Usako. It was a rather sensitive situation, and I don't think she would appreciate me blabbing about it to every person I meet."

"I suppose I understand," she said softly after a few seconds of silence. Usagi wiped away some of her tears and smiled softly. Perhaps she was just being foolish about this whole thing. He loved her, right? She should have known that he wouldn't cheat on her. Mamoru was just helping out a friend who got in some trouble. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Mamo-chan."

Noticing the time, Usagi gave him a kiss on the cheek and then headed toward the bathroom to take a shower. Relieved that he managed to keep the affair a secret, Mamoru let out a deep breath. He hated lying to Usagi, but it was imperative that she never find out what really happened last night.

He needed to call Setsuna and discuss what they were going to do about this. She knew just as well as he did that they made a huge mistake last night. The entire future could be in danger if Usagi ever learned that he had made love to the beautiful guardian of time.

Mamoru pulled on a pair of ratty pajama pants and grabbed his cell phone out of the pocket of his tuxedo jacket, hoping against hope that Usagi remembered to recharge the battery like he asked her to do yesterday. He then went outside so that his fiancée wouldn't hear.

His fingers shook as he punched in Setsuna's telephone number. Hopefully she was the only one up this early in the morning. He had no idea what he would say if Haruka, Michiru, or Hotaru picked up the phone. However, he couldn't bring himself to complete the call.

What would he say to her? _Sorry, Setsuna, we made a big mistake last night, so I think it's best we never see each other ever again, okay?_ No, he couldn't do that. Despite the fact that he loved Usagi, he couldn't deny his feelings for Setsuna. He didn't want her out of his life. Besides, she was a Sailor Soldier. It was inevitable that they would have to face each other at some point.

Frustrated, Mamoru banged his fist against the iron rail he was leaning against, the pain traveling right up his arm, but he barely noticed it. He was such an idiot. What was he going to do?

* * *

Setsuna sat at her desk in her room, supposedly trying to work on a couple of her designs for the upcoming fashion show. However, fashion was the last thing on her mind. She threw aside her pencil and crumpled up one of the pages, easily throwing the rejected design into the wastebasket. This was ridiculous. She had to stop thinking about Mamoru.

Her garnet eyes fell on the telephone sitting on the corner of the desk. She really needed to call him. They had to decide how they were going to handle this delicate situation. But something held her back. Maybe it was fear of Usagi picking up the phone instead of Mamoru. Or maybe it was the fact that she was in love with him.

She quickly blocked Mamoru's face from her mind and instead focused her attention on the hourglass. The sand moved so quickly through the funnel. With every grain that fell, she could feel a tiny part of her life slip away from her. There was so little time left.

It just wasn't fair! A quarter century worth of freedom compared to thousands as a prisoner of time? The payoff didn't seem quite equal in Setsuna's eyes, though she would treasure those few fleeting moments as if they were the rarest jewels in the world.

Time could be such a cruel punishment. For one single night of passion, hundreds more would pass and she would be alone, alone for all eternity. For the first time in her life, she felt something that could only be described as love for a man, but he was destined to be with another.

If only it was possible to defy fate, to take her life into her own hands and create a new destiny. Since the day she was born, Setsuna had been chained to her duty and destiny as the guardian of time. Even in the days of her long ago childhood before she was awakened, she always felt trapped in a life she couldn't control. There was no such thing as happiness in the place she lived in, hidden away from the world she longed to experience so much. Obedience and duty were all there ever were.

But all that changed when she was reborn on Earth with the others. For the first time in her ancient life, Setsuna was free of the bonds that tied her to her duty as keeper of the gate of time. She experienced a happy childhood, something she never had before, despite of her parents' death when she was only seven years old. The elderly woman she went to live with after the funeral was always very kind to her and gave her everything she ever wanted, although Setsuna never grew to love her as much as her own mother. Then, as she grew older, she blossomed into a beautiful teenager. She even managed to snag herself a boyfriend.

Setsuna smiled fondly as she remembered Masafumi Akira's handsome face. He had been her first lover during the summer between her last year of high school and college, and at the time, she thought she was very much in love with him. In retrospect, her feelings for Akira were nothing more than a huge crush coming from a girl who wanted nothing else but to fall in love with a man that could take away the loneliness she felt. Still, sometimes she wondered what had  
become of him.

It was soon after they began dating that the dreams of Crystal Tokyo began and once again the chains of destiny had wrapped around her heart. At first, she tried to deny it, even losing her virginity to Akira in a bid to convince herself that she was in control of her own decisions. But still the dreams, or nightmares as she eventually came to view them, kept reoccurring night after night. She could still remember the beautiful, melancholic face of her future self as clearly now as when the dreams first began. Even then, the teenage Setsuna could sense the woman's sadness. There was a secret hidden in the depths of her dark garnet eyes. But what was this enigma that caused the time guardian to feel such sorrow?

The last dream she had was of her death in the 30th century. That was probably the most horrifying thing she witnessed in her visions. Mamoru was right about the great burden knowing one's future was. Nobody should ever have to go through the pain of witnessing their own death. That night, Setsuna woke up screaming beside Akira, her body covered in sweat. He tried to comfort her, but there was nothing he could do. He wouldn't have understood. Nobody would have understood. How could they?

That dream was the turning point in her life. No longer was she Meioh Setsuna, the aspiring fashion designer/physicist. She was Sailor Pluto, the reborn guardian of time and defender of justice. The morning after, Setsuna packed her things and left to begin her new life, not even bothering to say goodbye to Akira or Mrs. Sasaki, her kind caregiver. It was best that they didn't know the truth.

Her journey lead her to Tokyo, far away from the tiny town where she grew up. There was something about that beautiful capital city that immediately captured her heart. It was a town of magic. She could feel the power all around her, strange yet familiar. But she could also sense evil nearby, emitting from the brand new Mugen School located on the Delta. Setsuna rented an apartment on the coincidentally named Meioh Bank and enrolled in a nearby university so she could keep an eye on the happenings at the school. She was not fully awakened, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before her services would be needed.

That day came sooner than she thought. Setsuna remembered it had been a nasty day, weather-wise. Storm clouds had covered the area in a blanket of darkness for about a week or so. Setsuna and one of her professors were working on some studies about the Delta, because she had had a hunch that the area was the site of dimensional warping, although she couldn't quite explain why she felt that way. Her professor thought she was just jumping to conclusions, so she didn't put much value on her thesis at the time, but it was soon to be proved correct.

That was also the first time she met Mamoru's friend Furuhata Motoki, who she had to admit was pretty cute. His friend (and future wife) Nishimura Reika was a classmate of Setsuna's, and they had dropped by to ask if she wanted to go out for dinner, but she declined the offer, preferring to continue her research on the Delta area and to try to sort out the strange feelings she had been having.

Around that time, a new breed of plant called Tellun was becoming quite popular around town. It was grown by Teruno Lulu, a student at Mugen School. Setsuna sensed something suspicious about the plant and had bought a couple to investigate. The claim that Tellun would grow without watering seemed too good to be true.

Unfortunately, she was right. The plant lived off the Hoste of humans, sucking away all their lifeforce energy. She herself was almost killed by one of the plants before two women suddenly appeared before her, the astrological signs of Uranus and Neptune glowing brightly on their foreheads. If she had a mirror, she would have seen the sign of Pluto on her own. She had finally awakened as an Outer Sailor Soldier and the holder of the third Talisman, the Garnet Orb, which sat atop her Time Staff.

Though a part of her resented being forced to become the guardian of time once again, she was also grateful. If it wasn't for her awakening, she never would have met such wonderful friends, especially Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru, whom she loved with all her heart. With the Sailor Soldiers by her side, the loneliness she felt disappeared. They were the family she always wanted.

But soon she would have to say goodbye…

Setsuna sighed as she glanced down at her watch. It was almost ten o'clock at night. She heard footsteps walking outside her room which she suspected were Hotaru's, home from her date with Shingo. The time guardian smiled. They made such a cute couple.

Setsuna then closed her sketch book and placed it in one of her desk drawers, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, there was no way she was going to get any work done tonight. _Maybe I should go downstairs and watch a movie to get my mind off things,_ she thought. She could use a break.

As she passed by Hotaru's slightly open room, the sound of her adopted daughter's voice filled the air as she talked on the phone with Kimi. She was happily describing her date with Shingo, a slight blush on her face. Setsuna was so glad things turned out so well. Hotaru had had a difficult life, and she, more than almost anyone, deserved some happiness.

Setsuna didn't linger long at Hotaru's door, respecting her privacy. She was sure they would get the full rundown at breakfast tomorrow morning. Instead, she headed downstairs.

In the living room, she found that Haruka and Michiru had had the same idea. A cheesy old black-and-white horror movie was playing on the TV in the darkened room.

"Haruka, Michiru, mind if I join you?" Setsuna asked, walking in.

Silence greeted her. Setsuna looked over at the couch, where the two lovers had fallen asleep in each others arms. They looked so peaceful, laying there. Haruka was sitting up, her head resting against the back of the couch, while Michiru leaned against her, the tomboy's arms wrapped around the aqua-haired beauty possessively. It appeared that they had finally made up after their little fight this morning, as usual.

Setsuna turned off the TV and covered them with an afghan, then silently went back upstairs to cry herself to sleep as a storm began raging outside.

* * *

Jade Green pulled back the velvet drapes and looked out the second floor window of her mansion at the dreary city. Her blood red lips curled up into a small smile. Soon, this world would all be hers. It was only a matter of time.

She chuckled lightly to herself. After all these years, she would finally get revenge for her mother's death and achieve the power Queen Beryl always dreamed of possessing. All she needed was the Silver Crystal, and she would have that soon enough.

"Mommy?"

Jade turned around at the sound of her son's voice, surprised that he was still awake. Damian stood in the doorway of her bedroom in his favorite pair of pajamas, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Damian, what are you doing out of bed?" she asked as he ran over and wrapped his arms around her leg.

"I'm scared, Mommy. The thunder keeps waking me up."

Jade gently ruffled her son's ebony black hair. "Honey, thunder is nothing to be afraid of. It can't hurt you. Now go back to bed."

"I don't want to. I want to stay here with you."

"Is this anyway for a prince to behave?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not a prince."

She sat down on her neatly made bed and motioned for Damian to sit down beside her. It was time for her son to finally know the truth. After all, someday he would be king. "Yes, you are, my special little boy," she said. "You are the crown prince of the great and powerful Dark Kingdom."

"The Dark Kingdom? Where is that at, Mommy? I've never heard of it."

Jade's beautiful green eyes darkened at the memory. "It was destroyed eight years ago, shortly before your birth," she answered softly. "But the time has come for the Dark Kingdom to rise again, my son. We will get revenge for what those Sailor Soldiers have done and reclaim what is rightfully ours."

"Who are the Sailor Soldiers?" Damian asked.

Jade snapped her fingers, calling for her crystal ball. The glowing sphere appeared before them, seemingly floating in the air. Her son's eyes danced at the sight. He reached out and poked the light, checking to see if it was real. Damian gasped as the light dimmed and an image formed in the glass sphere.

At first, the vision was blurry. Then the outline of five teenage girls dressed in short sailor fukus slowly became recognizable, along with a tall man dressed in a tuxedo and a strangely beautiful woman with long red hair and matching eyes. Her skin was a slightly yellowish tint, but it did not lessen her beauty. In fact, Damian could see a slight resemblance between the woman and his mother.

"Who are they?" he asked his mother, pointing at the ball.

Jade silently shushed him. "Watch, my son."

The man in the tuxedo sent a blast toward the girls in the ridiculous outfits, almost knocking them over. The girl with the weird hairstyle seemed shocked at the attack. A few seconds later, the woman wrapped her hair around the young girl's neck, practically choking her. She was shouting something at the girl, but Damian couldn't make it out. Another girl, this one dressed in orange with a red bow in her long blonde hair, whipped out a chain and tried to attack the woman, but her attack was repelled. Not one to give up a fight, the girl willed a stone sword into her hands, but it was too heavy for her to hold. A tall brunette in green grabbed the sword and used it to slice through the woman's hair, freeing the blonde, whom Damian assumed was the sailors' leader. Finally, the first girl took the sword again and stabbed the woman in the gut, blood pouring out of the wound.

The little boy covered his eyes and cried out in fear, jumping into his mother's arms. "Who was she, Mommy?" Damian asked between sobs. "Why did those girls kill her?"

Jade clenched her fist in anger. Even now the thought of what those Sailor Soldiers did to her mother made her blood boil. "She was Queen Beryl, the ruler of the Dark Kingdom and your grandmother," she said. "And those girls were the Sailor Soldiers, our greatest enemies. The one with the pigtails is their leader, Sailor Moon, as well as the princess of the Silver Millennium, a rival kingdom. She is the reason why the Dark Kingdom no longer exists."

Jade ran her hand down her son's back, comforting the young child. She knew it must be shocking, but he needed to know. Damian needed to understand. "But the time has come for us to get our revenge, my sweet Damian," she continued, kissing the top of his head. "The princess and her prince will pay for what they've done to our kingdom. Once I get my hands on that crystal of hers, nothing will stop us. The Dark Kingdom will rise once again, with me as queen and you as crown prince. My mother's dream will finally come true. Everything will be ours, as it rightfully should be."

"I'm going to be a prince?" Damian asked, wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his pajamas. "With a castle and everything?"

"Anything you want, sweetie," Jade replied, giving him a hug. "Now, go to your room and get some sleep, okay? The storm's almost over."

"Okay, Mommy. Good night."

"Good night, my special little prince."

Damian crawled out of her lap and headed back to his bedroom, his shoulders back and his head held high as if he were wearing a crown. Jade smiled at the sight. Her darling son was going to be a wonderful prince one day.

But once Damian closed the door behind him, her grin was replaced with a determined scowl. The crystal ball was glowing again as the scene shifted to that of the prince and princess, kissing underneath a full moon. Jade's green eyes flared with sparks of fire.

"You will pay, Serenity," she growled. "All of you will pay for what you have done!"

With those words, Jade grabbed the crystal ball and hurled it against the wall, causing it to break. It gave her a small feeling of satisfaction to see the thousands of pieces of shattered glass fall to the ground like so many broken dreams.

She would destroy all their dreams if it was the last thing she did.


	10. Act 9 Fashion Disaster

Act 9 - Fashion Disaster

A week later, Setsuna arrived at _Timeless Creations_ earlier than usual to prepare for the day's fashion show. When she had left the house this morning, everybody was still asleep in their beds, taking advantage of their Saturday. Hopefully they would wake up in time to see the show, which was to be held at around noon in the showroom.

Just about everything was already set for the show. She, Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru, along with some of her employees, had spent most of last night arranging chairs and putting up the stage that stood at the front of the room. Setsuna was eternally grateful for their help. The last thing she needed was more stress in her life, especially at a time like this. All she needed to do was to put the finishing touches on a couple of her designs and then she could relax.

Pulling out a set of keys, Setsuna unlocked the door to her private office and turned on the lights. Her office, usually tidy to a fault, was decidedly cluttered with about a dozen or so mannequins scattered around the room and several rolls of fine fabric in every single color of the rainbow sitting on the top of her desk, waiting to be put back in storage. Setsuna ran her hand across one of the rolls, enjoying the feel of the silky smooth navy blue satin on her skin.

She then pulled out her small sewing kit from her desk drawer and got to work one of her designs made out of the same blue fabric. As she pulled up the hemline, Setsuna couldn't help but think that Haruka would look gorgeous in the clingy, strapless gown. She smiled to herself and rolled her ruby red eyes. As if Tenoh Haruka would ever willingly wear a dress. She was most definitely a tomboy, through and through, and not even Michiru could convince her to don more feminine apparel unless the aqua-haired beauty threatened to kick her out of the bedroom for the night.

Setsuna wiped away a tear that manage to fall as she thought about her friends. She had to stop torturing herself like this. So what if Michiru and Haruka were so madly in love with each other that the thought of sleeping one night away from her lover would scare Haruka into being on her best behavior? Who cared that Hotaru spent most of the night talking to Shingo on the telephone when she should have been asleep? Why did it hurt so much to see Ami happily married and ready to start a family with the man she loved more than anything in the world? Why wasn't she happy that Minako had finally found true love after all those years of seemingly being prey to some kind of love curse? How come she wasn't thrilled when Makoto announced that her best friend told her that he loved her, even though Setsuna was often tempted to knock some sense into those two with her Time Staff? And why did even Rei's constant fights with Yuuichiro cause her to feel such jealousy?

On the outside, Setsuna continued to put on a brave face in front of her friends as not to arouse suspicion, but inside, she felt as if her whole world was falling apart right in front of her eyes. She tried to ignore it. Really she did. During the past week, Setsuna had practically thrown herself into her designs in a desperate bid to keep her mind off what happened that night. Sometimes, she became so engrossed in her work that she even forgot to eat. Most of the time, her plan succeeded, but every once in awhile she would be reminded of him, and she would suddenly burst into body-shaking sobs.

It could be something as insignificant as spotting someone with the same exact sapphire blue eyes or passing by a garden of blood red roses. It didn't take much for Mamoru's handsome face to appear inside her head and open the floodgates once again.

They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since the fateful night of the engagement party. Setsuna had a feeling that he was trying to avoid her, as she was trying to avoid him. It wasn't easy, though. She even pretended to be ill to get out of a monthly routine Sailor Soldier meeting for fear that Mamoru would be there as well. As it turned out, she hadn't needed to worry because the prince also decided not to come, stating he needed to catch up on some casework at the office.

The few times she ran into Usagi were awkward. She still didn't know how much Mamoru decided to tell his fiancée about that night. The princess didn't treat her any differently than before, but certainly she must suspect something was going on from the way Setsuna's eyes refused to meet hers whenever they spoke to each other or how her voice quivered whenever Mamoru's name was inevitably mentioned. Either Usagi was an even better actress than Minako or she simply refused to see the truth. Setsuna hoped it was the later.

Setsuna quickly finished sewing up the hem of the navy dress, then walked over to a mannequin hidden in the corner, draped in the finest pure white silk imported from China. It was the beginnings of a wedding dress. Namely, the one she was making for Usagi. The gown really was turning out quite lovely, fit for a princess. The designer fingered the fabric and closed her eyes, imagining just for a moment that she was the blushing bride walking down the aisle as Mamoru stood waiting for her at the altar with a happy smile on his face. He was going to make such a handsome groom. Unfortunately, the bride he would be smiling for wasn't her. It would never be.

Usagi was the one he loved. And Setsuna was destined to be alone for the rest of her life.

* * *

"Mamo-chan, why aren't you dressed yet?" Usagi asked, walking into his study and finding her fiancé hunched over his desk. She tapped the watch on her wrist. "If we don't hurry, we're going to be late for Setsuna's showing."

Mamoru's lips turned up into an amused smile. It wasn't often that Usagi was the one telling him, Mr. Punctual, to hurry up so they wouldn't be late. However, he had no intention whatsoever to attend the showing, knowing he would inevitably have to talk to Setsuna. "I think I'll skip this one, Usako," he said, rummaging through a stack of papers on his desk. "I'm working on a big case, and I'm way behind. You go ahead and have fun at the fashion show."

Sighing, Usagi walked up behind his chair and wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Work, work, work. That's all he cared about anymore. She had hoped that because of the inheritance, Mamoru wouldn't have to spend so much time on his job, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. "Honey, you've been working on that case since six o'clock this morning," she said, kissing the top of his black hair. "You deserve to take a break. Come with me to the show. It'll mean a lot to Setsuna-san."

Mamoru's body suddenly tensed as if he had been shot with a stun gun, and he drew in a deep breath. Did she know something about what happened the night of the engagement party? "Wh…What do you mean by that? Why would Setsuna-san care if I went to her show? I've never gone before."

He glanced up at Usagi and was relieved to see that she was laughing heartily. Inside his chest, his heart resumed its normal rhythm. Their secret was still safe.

"Honestly, Mamo-chan, if I didn't know better, I would think you were scared to go to the show. Are you afraid that you won't be able to control yourself in front of all those gorgeous models?"

He cleared his throat. "Something like that," he said, trying to sound light-hearted. If only she knew the real reason why he didn't want to go...

"Don't worry about it, muffin. I won't mind if you ogle the models. After all, you are a man, and that's what guys do. Just as long as you look and don't touch."

His left eyebrow arched in surprise. Since when did Usagi tell him it was okay to look at other women? Mamoru remembered a time when she would become hysterical just at the thought sharing an umbrella with another girl. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my Usako?" he joked.

"It's still me, you silly," she said, playfully swatting him on the arm. She then held up her hand, admiring the sparkle of her engagement ring in the light of his desk lamp. "I just decided it is useless to get jealous of every girl who crosses your path. I trust you. I know you love me and you would never do anything to hurt me, right?"

His eyes darkened in shame. "Never say never, Usako." Mamoru's voice was so soft that Usagi could barely hear him.

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

He shook his head. "It was nothing," he said, stapling a couple of papers together. The burden of this secret was killing him. He hated lying to Usagi, but it was the only way. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

But despite his love for his fiancée, Mamoru still could not forget about the beautiful time guardian and the wonderful night he spent in her bed. He didn't quite understand these strange feelings he was harboring for Setsuna. Could it be possible for a man to love two women at the same time?

Not that it mattered. He knew his destiny was to marry Usagi and rule the reborn Silver Millennium by her side. That's what he wanted.

Right?

"Mamo-chan?" Mamoru involuntarily jumped at the sound of Usagi's voice. He must have spaced out there for a couple of seconds. Bright blue eyes stared at him with concern. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Usako," he insisted, taking off his glasses and rubbing his temples. "It's just a little stress. No need to worry."

"You need to take a break," she repeated. "Come with me to the fashion show. Please? It'll only last for a couple of hours, then you can come home and prepare for your case. As they say, all work and no play make Mamo-chan a dull boy."

"And if I decide not to go…"

Usagi shot him a bright smile. "Then I just might be tempted to hook up with an incredibly hot male model and run away to Tahiti."

Her fiancé sighed and threw his pen aside, finally giving up. He might as well go. No matter how awkward it might be, he couldn't hide from Setsuna for the rest of his life. They were going to have to deal with this one day or the other. Why not today?

He only hoped he was strong enough to resist those gorgeous garnet red eyes.

* * *

The sound of a knock on the door to her office distracted Setsuna from her sewing, causing her to inadvertently stab herself with the needle. She swore under her breath, licking the small trickle of blood on her index finger.

Couldn't Megumi leave her alone for just ten minutes so she could get some work done?

"Come in," Setsuna called out, the annoyance evident in her voice.

The door swung open. The designer expected to see the petite figure of her loyal assistant, but instead she was greeted by the ever bright smile of her princess. Usagi entered the room, her eyes wide as she gazed around the office at all the beautiful dresses.

"Wow, Setsuna-san, these are amazing!" she complimented her, looking over a black dress covered with feathers. "Your new line is sure to be a huge hit. Everybody's going to want to wear a Meioh Setsuna original, from Tokyo to Paris. Just wait and see!"

"Thank you, Usagi-san," the designer said softly, returning to her work. "You're very kind. I've worked very hard on this line."

"And it shows."

The princess's blue eyes fell on the exquisite white gown in the corner, her mouth breaking into a huge smile. She went over to the mannequin and ran her finger along the neckline. The dress was far from finished, but Usagi could tell that it was going to turn out perfectly. "Is this what I think it is?" she asked reverently.

Setsuna looked up from the strap she was working on and smiled sadly at the look of pure joy on Usagi's face. "Yes, that's your wedding dress. I just started on it a few days ago, so I'm afraid it doesn't look like much now…"

"No, it looks wonderful! I can't wait until it's finished. Do you think Mamoru will like it?"

_Why did she have to say his name?_ Setsuna bit her lip, trying to keep herself from crying as she concentrated even harder on fixing the loose strap on the pink dress. She secretly wondered if Usagi knew the truth and was purposely trying to torture her by flaunting her engagement at every opportunity, but Setsuna knew that the princess would never do something like that. Usagi was an open book who wore her emotions on her sleeve. If she knew about the affair, the time guardian was certain she would know about it.

Before she could reply to Usagi's question, the two of them were interrupted by the familiar presence of Kitano Megumi. The short redhead stood in the open doorway, her face anything but happy. Setsuna sighed, wondering what happened now.

"Meioh-san? I'm afraid I have some bad news," Megumi said.

"It's always bad news. Can't I ever get some good news around here?" Setsuna muttered under her breath.

"Meioh-san?"

"Never mind. What is it now?"

Megumi pushed her thick glasses up her nose, looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "The Bishounen Agency just called a few minutes ago to inform us that Ogata Kiyoshi has the flu and will be unable to do the show."

"What!? I don't believe this. Can't they send over another model to take his place?"

The dowdy assistant shrugged her shoulders apologetically. "I suppose all the guys that match his measurements already have jobs today. Tokyo Fashion Week is their busiest time of the year, after all."

Frustrated, Setsuna rested her forehead against the shoulder of the mannequin she was working on. This was just great. Where in the world would she be able to find another guy with Ogata's measurements to take his place in less than thirty minutes?

Usagi, eavesdropping on their conversation, walked over to Megumi and looked over her shoulder at the ill model's stats. Her eyes lit up as she thought of a brilliant idea. "You know, Setsuna-san, Mamo-chan is just about this guy's size, and he used to work as a model when he was in high school. I'm sure I can convince him to take this guy's place in the show."

"Mamoru-san's here?" the designer asked, her voice slightly shaking.

"Yeah. He's talking with Ryo-kun and Umino in the showroom. Do you want me to ask him?"

Setsuna shook her head. The last person she wanted to see right now was Chiba Mamoru, even if he could potentially save her fashion show. There had to be some other guy they could use. "No, that's okay, Usagi-chan. I wouldn't want to impose."

"Don't be silly, Setsuna-san! Where else are you going to find a replacement so soon before the show. Besides, I can't wait to see how hunky my Mamo-chan looks in your designs. I'll go talk to him right now!"

"Usagi-chan, wait!"

Before Setsuna could decline her offer once again, the blonde was sprinting out of the office and heading toward the showroom to talk to Mamoru.

The designer sighed loudly, focusing her attention back on the broken strap. This was not turning out to be a good day at all.

* * *

"NO!"

Usagi's lips curled up into a childish pout. Mamoru could be so stubborn sometimes. She'd told him about Setsuna's dilemma with the sick model, but he steadfastly refused to take Ogata Kiyoshi's place in the fashion show. It wasn't like him at all. The Mamoru she knew and loved wouldn't hesitate to help out a friend in trouble, even if it meant doing something he didn't want to do. "Come on, Mamo-chan!" she pleaded, yanking on his right arm. "Setsuna-san really needs your help. The whole show will be ruined if you don't take the guy's place."

"Usako, there is absolutely no way I'm going through with this," Mamoru insisted, yanking his arm away from her Herculean grasp. "You know how much I hated modeling when I was in high school. I only agreed to the job to make some easy money in order to pay my tuition at Moto Azabu Academy."

"I know, but can't you do it just one more time to help out a dear friend in trouble?"

Inside his head, Mamoru was thinking just how ironic those words were. The last time he helped the same "dear friend" in trouble, he ended up in Setsuna's bed. Usagi wouldn't be so enthusiastic about this modeling thing if she knew just how willing he was to "help".

"Couldn't she just ask Haruka?" he suggested. "I mean, Haruka-san can certainly pass herself off as a man, and she's almost as tall as I am."

"But Haruka-san's shoulders aren't as broad as yours, and she's a whole lot slimmer. The clothes wouldn't fit right, and I doubt Setsuna-san has enough time to fix all the outfits before the show starts."

"How about asking one of the other guys, then? Ryo-kun is about my size, and I'm sure plenty of women think of him as quite handsome."

"But Ryo-kun's never modeled before and neither have the others," Usagi pointed out. She curiously stared at her handsome fiancé, arms folded across her chest. "Why are you so opposed to this anyway? Would it really be that horrible to dress in some of the most stylish clothes this side of Paris and prance in front of a few hundred people for a couple of hours? It's not like I'm asking you to walk on burning coals or to swim across the entire Sea of Japan."

"Look, Usako, I feel bad for Setsuna-san, really I do, but I just cannot help her out," Mamoru said."I didn't even want to come to the show in the first place."

Never one to give up until she got what she wanted, Usagi pulled out the most deadly weapon in her arsenal: tears. Crying was the one thing that never failed to work on Mamoru. Her pretty blue eyes welled up as she put on her saddest face, looking up at her fiancé. She could instantly see all the antagonism fade away as Mamoru wiped away a tear that streamed down her face.

"Don't cry, Usako," he whispered, pulling out his handkerchief. "If it means so much to you, I'll be in the show. But I'm_ not_ going to like it."

Happy that he finally saw things her way, Usagi threw her arms around his neck and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek, causing Mamoru's face to turn red with embarrassment. She knew she could always count on him. "Oh, Mamo-chan, you're the best!"

* * *

Mamoru walked down the corridor located in the back of the store, searching for Setsuna's office. Usagi had given him directions, but he was completely lost. Did she say it was the third door on the left? Or was it the fifth door on the right?

He quietly knocked on one of the doors, his heart beating in anticipation. This was a bad idea. A very bad, bad idea. He didn't know how he let Usagi talk him into doing this. No matter how many times he told himself that he could deal with this, in his heart, he knew he wasn't strong enough to face Setsuna just yet. Mamoru wiped his sweaty hands on his slacks in nervous anticipation as the door slowly creaked open.

A sigh of relief escaped from his lips when he saw it was a petite woman with thick glasses who opened the door, a clipboard in her hands. She raised an eyebrow as if to say, "Who the heck are you, and what are you doing here?" Mamoru raked a hand through his thick ebony hair.

"Um…I'm looking for Meioh Setsuna's office," he finally said when it was obvious that the woman had no intention to speak. "Could you please tell me where I can find it?"

"This is Meioh-san's office," the woman said. "I am her assistant Kitano Megumi. Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

"Yes, my name is Chiba Mamoru, and I'm here to fill in for Ogata Kiyoshi-san in the show."

Megumi's dull brown eyes traveled over his body, mentally estimating his measurements. When she was satisfied that he matched Ogata's body type and size, the assistant gave Mamoru a curt nod. "I suppose you'll do," she replied, not sounding very enthusiastic. "Do you have any experience?"

"I was a model for a couple of months in high school."

She nodded again, writing something on her clipboard. "Go to the dressing room at the end of the hall. Someone there will tell you what to do. The show starts in exactly twenty minutes, so I suggest you hurry."

After giving him those instructions, Megumi turned around and walked back into the office, closing the door behind her. Mamoru thought she was rather rude, but decided not to let it bother him. He had dealt with worse assistants before. Before he left to go to the dressing room, he briefly considered knocking again and asking if he could speak to Setsuna, but decided that there wasn't enough time. He would speak to her after the show.

* * *

After she finished talking with the dozens of reporters who begged to have an interview with the new "Donna Karan of Tokyo", Setsuna went back to her office to have a little quiet time alone. She poured herself some coffee and took a seat at her desk, flipping randomly though a glossy fashion magazine.

The showing had been a huge success. Offers were coming in from all the biggest stores in Tokyo, and even a couple buyers from New York and Paris were interested in carrying her new line. After years of being mostly know as a local designer, it seemed that she was finally going to get the worldwide exposure she always dreamed of, but, for some reason, she wasn't as happy as she should have been.

There was a soft knock on the door. Setsuna closed her magazine and sighed, silently wishing everybody would just leave her alone for a while. Maybe if she just stayed quiet, they would think she wasn't there and leave. However, the person knocked again.

"Setsuna-san, open the door," a familiar voice said. "It's me. I know you're in there because I saw you go in. We need to talk."

The designer felt her legs turn into jelly as she slowly walked towards the door and turned the knob. Why did he have to come today? Didn't he know that watching him up on that stage today, modeling the outfits she often fantasized him wearing, was pure torture? Still, she took a deep breath and swung open the door.

Mamoru smiled sadly as he entered the room. He was still dressed in the tuxedo he modeled for the finale, looking quite dashing. After all, he always did look best in formal clothes. Setsuna motioned for him to take a seat on the Italian leather couch in the corner of the office, pouring him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you for doing the show, Mamoru-san. I really appreciate it," she said. Setsuna handed him the mug and took a seat beside him, sitting as far away as possible. "Don't worry. Megumi-kun makes the coffee around here," she assured him, noticing him taking a hesitant sip.

"It's good. Your assistant makes great coffee."

Mamoru took another sip, this time larger than before, and an awkward silence fell between them. Now that they were actually alone together, neither of them knew how to approach the subject that was constantly on both their minds. Setsuna began absentmindedly twirling a strand of her long green hair.

"You said we needed to talk, so talk," she finally said, unable to take much more of the silence.

Mamoru sat his mug down on the coffee table and turned to face Setsuna, his midnight blue eyes filled with guilt and confusion. "What happened that night was a mistake," he declared. "We were both hurting, and while it was natural for us to turn to each other in our pain, that doesn't make it right."

The beautiful time guardian nodded her head. "I know, Mamoru-san. We put the entire future in jeopardy. If Usagi-chan ever learned the truth…"

He gently wiped away a tear that streaked down her cheek and lifted her chin so that he could look into those gorgeous red eyes. He instantly felt the same shock of attraction he felt the night of the engagement party.

"Oh, Setsuna-san, what kind of spell have you cast on me?" Mamoru whispered. "I love Usagi, but I keep feeling this overwhelming attraction toward you that I'm lost for words to explain. I thought I would be strong enough to resist, but I can't. The pull is just as strong as ever."

With her heart pounding against her chest, Mamoru brought Setsuna's full, seductive mouth to his own. She could feel her resolve start to disappear as the kiss deepened, and a moan escaped her lips when his hands found their way underneath her shirt and to her breasts.

"Mamoru-san, stop, we can't do this," she insisted, somehow managing to pull herself away even though she should have given anything to continue. "Usagi-chan is probably looking for you right now. She could walk in here any minute."

"You're right." Mamoru sat back up and rearranged his clothes into some semblance of order. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

"The same thing I'm thinking. But you must remember that it is your destiny to marry Usagi-chan, no matter what. She cannot ever know about what happened that night. It could ruin everything."

"We have to forget," he added. "That is the only way."

Wiping away another tear, Setsuna stood up and tucked her black silk blouse back into her skirt. "You better go find Usagi-chan. She's probably wondering where you are."

"Right."

He quickly gulped down the rest of his coffee and left without even saying goodbye.

* * *

The smile on Usagi's face could not get any larger as she walked down the corridor. Mamoru had been a huge hit at the fashion show. All the women in the audience were in love with him, as evident by the dreamy sighs and lovey-dovey eyes, and it gave Usagi great satisfaction to be able to hold out her expensive pink diamond engagement ring and happily inform all those lovesick girls that her Mamo-chan was already taken.

When she reached the dressing rooms, she was surprised to discover that Mamoru wasn't there. Megumi, Setsuna's dowdy assistant, told her that she hadn't seen him since the show ended. It was probably nothing though. Mamoru was probably trying to get away from all his new adoring fans, and she was just the person to do the job.

She walked back down the corridor, heading back toward the showroom. As she passed by Setsuna's office, Usagi noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Since she was already there, she might as well congratulate the designer for her success. Maybe she could even convince Setsuna to have dinner with her and Mamoru.

Usagi approached the door, surprised to hear voices. Setsuna was most likely talking to a buyer or something, so she decided not to bother her. The blonde turned to leave when she heard Mamoru's familiar voice coming from the room. So that was where he'd been. Good, she could kill two birds with one stone. She placed her hand on the knob, but something Mamoru said stopped her from going in.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

Usagi pressed her ear against the wall, curious as to what they were talking about. "The same thing I'm thinking," Setsuna said. "But you must remember that it is your destiny to marry Usagi, no matter what. She cannot ever know about what happened that night. It could ruin everything."

"We have to forget. That is the only way."

Usagi was confused. What were Setsuna and Mamoru talking about? Were they keeping something from her? She held her breath as she waited for them to continue with their conversation, but it sounded like they were finished. Setsuna told him he better go, and a few seconds later, Usagi could hear his footsteps coming toward the door. She jumped away just as the door opened, not wanting them to know she was eavesdropping.

"Usako!" he exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing back here?"

She smiled, throwing her arms around her fiancé. "I was looking for you, muffin! I thought you would be in the dressing room. Did Setsuna-san want to talk to you about something?"

Mamoru's eyes refused to meet hers. "She was just thanking me for filling in for that Ogata guy."

"Oh."

Pulling away from Usagi's embrace, Mamoru gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go get out of these clothes, and then I'll take you out to dinner. Does that sound okay?"

"That sounds great. I'm starving!"

Mamoru laughed. "I thought so. Stay here. I'll be back in five minutes."

Watching as Mamoru headed back to the dressing room, Usagi noticed the faint scent of a sweet flowery perfume lingering in the air behind him. The fragrance was mildly familiar, and her eyes widened as she remembered where she recognized the perfume from.

It was the same scent Mamoru wore when he came back home after the engagement party.


	11. Act 10 Forbidden

Act 10 - Forbidden

When he woke up the next morning, Mamoru was surprised to find that Usagi was not laying beside him. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up, looking around the room. "Usako?" he called out.

A piece of pink stationary paper bordered with little white bunnies sat on Usagi's pillow, folded neatly in half. He grabbed the paper and read the short message inside: _Mamo-chan, I went shopping with Ami-chan and Naru-chan. I'll be gone all day. See you later._

He glanced over at the alarm clock. It was just barely after eight o'clock in the morning. Did the stores even open this early on a Sunday? Mamoru shrugged his shoulders as he crumpled the paper and tossed it in the trash can sitting across the room, easily making a basket. Maybe there was some kind of early bird sale or something. After letting out a huge yawn, Mamoru dragged himself out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some coffee.

At the back of his mind, Mamoru was secretly worried about Usagi, although he tried to push the thoughts aside. Even if there was a huge sale, he doubted his fiancée would give up her habitual Sunday sleep-ins just to go shopping. It wasn't like her at all. He shook his head and took a sip of the bitter coffee. He was probably worrying over nothing.

However, Usagi had been acting a little strangely last night after they left the fashion show. She wasn't her usual perky self. Instead, she actually seemed a little withdrawn, as if she had something serious on her mind. Sure, she still smiled and called him "Mamo-chan" as usual, but it didn't feel natural. It felt like she was putting on an act. Even when they came home and made love, Mamoru sensed she was just going through the motions. Was it possible she suspected something?

He pushed his mug of coffee aside and buried his head in his hands. A vision of his fiancée standing outside Setsuna's office flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered Usagi had jumped away when he came out, her blue eyes filled with shock and surprise. He wondered just how long she had been standing there, recalling that the door had been slightly ajar. It wouldn't have been too difficult to eavesdrop on his and Setsuna's conversation…

A gasp escaped from his lips, and Mamoru could literally feel the color draining from his face. Without a second thought, he jumped up and ran over to the phone, his hands shaking as he dialed a number. She knew.

Usagi knew everything!

* * *

Setsuna came downstairs, yawning as she took a seat at the kitchen table. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Michiru poured her a cup of coffee and sat the mug down in front of her. "Are you feeling alright, Setsuna?" she asked, worry in her ocean blue eyes. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look terrible."

The time guardian simply groaned, rubbing her temples. If there was a mirror nearby, she would have noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the messy mass of tangled hair carelessly pulled into a low ponytail. Setsuna knew she looked horrible, but she was just too depressed to care.

The phone rang, and since she was the closest to the telephone, she reached over and grabbed the receiver. "Moshi moshi. This is Meioh Setsuna speaking."

"Setsuna-san, it's me. We need to talk."

He didn't have to give his name for her to know who was calling. She immediately recognized the sound of his voice. The three women at the table stared at her, curious as to the identity of the morning caller, but Setsuna ignored them. "Yes, we need to talk," she said softly, standing up. "Let me switch to another extension."

She set the phone on the table, telling Hotaru to hang the receiver back up when she told her to, and went to the music room for some privacy. The walls were soundproof, so nobody would be able to hear her conversation. Once she was sure that the other extension was dead, she started talking again.

"Mamoru-san, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting down on the bench of Haruka's baby grand piano. She twirled the phone cord around one of her fingers. "You sound upset. Is this about what hap-"

"I think Usako knows," he replied, cutting her off.

Setsuna felt her pulse quicken as the news sunk in. "Are you sure? But how? When? Why?"

She could hear the sound of a deep sigh on the other end as Mamoru collected his thoughts. There were a few more seconds of silence before he spoke again. "Remember yesterday when we were talking in your office? The door was open, and I think Usagi might have been listening to our conversation."

"But you don't know for sure that she was, do you? I mean, did she say anything about it?"

"Setsuna-san, Usako was acting strange last night after the fashion show. I don't know how to explain, but she definitely wasn't herself. I don't know what to do. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her."

"Neither did I, but maybe you're just jumping to conclusions," she suggested hopefully. "Maybe she's stressed out from planning the wedding or something."

"Yeah, maybe." The tone in his voice wasn't very optimistic.

"It'll be okay, Mamoru-san. You have to believe that." There was a long silence on his end. "Mamoru-san, are you still there?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm still here," he answered. "I want to see you again, in person. Can you come over to my apartment in about an hour?"

"I'm not sure if that's such a great idea."

"Please, Setsuna-san…"

She could feel her resolve weaken. She wanted to see him again too, but she didn't know if she would be able to control her urges. "What about Usagi-chan? Is she there?"

"She went shopping with Ami-chan and Naru-chan. I don't think she'll be back until around lunch time at the earliest."

"Okay, I'll stop by your place at around eleven," she finally relented.

"Great. See you then."

They exchanged quick goodbyes, and Setsuna went back to the kitchen. Just as she expected, all eyes were on her as she sat back down at the table and took a sip of her now cold coffee. "Who was that on the phone, Setsuna?" Haruka asked.

"Oh, it was just some telemarketer. They always manage to call at the worst times, don't they?"

"You couldn't answer their questions in here?"

The time guardian shrugged her shoulders as she stood back up, grabbing a piece of toast. "It was nothing important," she insisted. "I think I'm going to take a bath and then maybe go for a nice walk in the park. See you guys later."

Before Michiru could convince Setsuna to stay and eat some more breakfast, the garnet-eyed woman exited the room. Haruka's worried eyes met her lover's, speaking volumes. Without a word, they both understood what the other was saying. Something strange was going on with Setsuna. As to what that was, that was anybody's guess.

* * *

Naru immediately sensed something was bothering her best friend when she picked Usagi up from Mamoru's apartment that morning. Usagi wasn't her usual happy-go-lucky self. Her eyes, always bright and cheerful, especially at the prospect of shopping, were instead dull and bloodshot, as if she didn't get enough sleep last night.

"Usagi-chan, is something bothering you?" Naru asked, pulling into the mall parking lot. The two girls got out of the car and began walking toward the department store.

The blonde shook her head, rubbing her watery eyes. "No, of course not, Naru-chan," she lied. "I'm on the top of the world. My allergies must be acting up, that's all."

"Do you want to take one of Gurio's pills? I have a couple in my purse if you want."

Usagi opened the door and let her friend enter the store. "No, thanks. I'll be okay once we're inside," she insisted, faking a large smile. She was going to have a good time even if it killed her. Shopping was just the thing she needed to get her mind off of her problems with Mamoru. "Let's go find Ami-chan."

She took the lead, walking straight to the escalators heading up to the second floor. If Usagi knew her friend as well as she thought, she knew exactly where the young doctor was waiting for them. Sure enough, the girls easily located the blue-haired woman in the baby department, looking at a beautiful baby crib dressed with lace and blue ribbon. Cradled in her arms was a matching blue teddy bear, which she rocked back and forth as if it were a baby.

Usagi sighed sadly at the sight. More than anything, Ami and Ryo wanted to have a baby. They had been trying for months to get her pregnant with no luck. Even though the couple lived in the lap of luxury due to their illustrious careers in the medical field, Usagi knew that Ami would give it all up in a second for a little baby of her own. It must be so frustrating to help bring hundreds of babies into the world but not being able to give birth to one of her own.

Usagi gently rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Ami-chan…"

"Oh, hi, Usagi-chan and Naru-chan!" she said brightly, welcoming them with a huge smile. Ami put the bear back in the crib and began lovingly rubbing her hand on the satin lining. "Isn't this the most beautiful crib you've ever seen in your entire life?"

Naru nodded her agreement, but with a look of sadness on her face. "Ami-chan, the crib is pretty, but do you think it's healthy to keep torturing yourself like this?"

"I'm not torturing myself. I'm shopping for my baby."

Usagi's and Naru's eyes widened. "Are you…?" Usagi asked.

"I'm late," she said, lowering her voice. "And this morning, I felt really queasy, so I went to the office before heading here and took a test. One of the nurses is going to call me in an hour with the official results, but I have a really good feeling this time."

"That's wonderful, Ami-chan!" Usagi exclaimed, giving her a huge hug. The joy of Ami's news temporarily caused her to forget her own troubles. "I'm so happy for you and Ryo-kun. You've both waited so long for this."

"Well, it's not official yet, Usagi-chan. I don't want to build my hopes up in case this turns out to be another false alarm. Let's just start shopping and take our minds off of it for now. I'm afraid if I don't stop thinking about it, I'm going to explode from happiness."

Taking Ami's advice, the girls entered one of their favorite stores, heading straight toward the new arrivals in the juniors department. Usagi aimlessly pawed her way through the rack of clothes, not really looking at any of them, while Ami and Naru were excitedly pointing out things they liked. The blonde couldn't help thinking that for someone who was trying to remain calm and sensible about her possible pregnancy, Ami sure seemed happy. She was grinning from ear to ear as she told Naru that she hoped that she would soon be too fat to fit into the cute blue skirt she was holding up against her body. Not that Usagi blamed her. Ami had wanted a child for so long. She only wished she could feel happier for her friend, but Setsuna's words kept ringing in her ears.

_But you must remember that it is your destiny to marry Usagi-chan, no matter what. She cannot ever know about what happened that night. It could ruin everything._

Usagi didn't want to believe it. She didn't believe it. There was absolutely no way her fiancé, the man she loved more than anything in the world, would betray her with one of her closest and dearest friends. There had to be another explanation. But the more she thought about it, the more she doubted herself. If it were true, it would explain a lot of things, such as why Mamoru hadn't want to go to the fashion show and Setsuna's strange behavior whenever she was around. But it couldn't be true! It just couldn't be!

"Usagi-chan, are you crying?" Ami asked, coming over to comfort her friend. "Is something wrong?"

Usagi lifted her tear-stained face from the soft white cashmere sweater she held in her hands, surprised to find that it was slightly damp. She hadn't even realized she was crying. Ami and Naru were staring at her with concern in their eyes.

Naru gently took Usagi's arm. "Come on, let's go get some ice cream and you can tell us why your so upset."

She didn't argue as her friends led her toward the food court and ordered three chocolate sundaes. They sat down at a nearby table, Usagi sitting on one side and Naru and Ami on the other. While her friends didn't push her to talk, Usagi found herself telling them about her suspicions, although she didn't come right out and name Setsuna as Mamoru's mistress. She still didn't quite believe it herself, so why should she expect Ami and Naru to understand?

"Oh, Usagi-chan, I'm sure there has to be another explanation," Ami said, handing her a napkin to wipe away her tears. "Mamoru-san loves you so very much. He wouldn't do anything like that."

"That's what I thought, but now I'm not so sure. Mamo-chan has been acting very strange la…"

Ami's cell phone rang, cutting off Usagi's sentence. The doctor quickly began digging in her purse for the tiny phone, her hands shaking as she flipped it open. "I'm sorry, Usagi-chan, but this will only take a second," she apologized as she brought the phone to her ear. Usagi understood. It was probably the hospital, calling with the results of Ami's pregnancy test.

"Moshi, moshi! Dr. Mizuno Ami speaking… Do you have the results of the test?… Oh, I see… No, that's okay… Thank you for calling. I'll see you tomorrow, Imafuku-san."

Ami sighed sadly as she put the cell phone away. Her friends didn't have to ask her to know the results of the test. It was written all over her face. Usagi reached across the table and squeezed the young doctor's hand. "I'm sorry, Ami-chan."

"No, it's okay," Ami said softly. "It just wasn't meant to be, I guess. Ryo and I will just have to try harder next time."

The doctor gave Usagi a small smile, but she could see the sadness in Ami's eyes. The girls finished eating their sundaes in silence, then agreed that they should probably go home. Nobody was really in the mood to shop anyway. Naru and Usagi said goodbye to Ami, then left.

* * *

Setsuna stared at the scrap of paper in her shaking hand, checking for the third time that she had the right apartment number. She did, but she still hesitated for a few seconds before she finally reached out and pushed the doorbell. The bell announcing her presence rang loud in her ears as she waited nervously outside the door.

"Thank you for coming, Setsuna-san," Mamoru said, answering the door. He showed her in and offered her a cup of tea, which she politely declined. Her stomach wouldn't be able to handle it.

She took a seat on the couch, looking around his apartment. Even though she'd known Mamoru for years, this was the first time she ever visited his place. Most of the time, the Sailor Soldiers held their meetings either at Rei's temple or at the Crown Fruit Parlor. For a guy, Setsuna had to admit that it was decorated rather nicely. She picked up a silver picture frame sitting on the small table beside her, but quickly set it back down when she saw that it was a picture of Usagi and Mamoru at an amusement park. "You have a very nice apartment, Mamoru-san."

Mamoru took the picture she was looking at and sat down beside Setsuna, his eyes focused on the image of Usagi. The time guardian sensed he was purposely avoiding meeting her gaze. "I can't take all the credit for it," he replied. "Usagi did most of the decorating."

"On the phone, you said that Usagi was acting strangely last night," Setsuna said, deciding to get right down to business. Mamoru glanced up in surprise, but immediately focused his attention back on the picture in his hands.

"She knows, Setsuna-san, and I'm afraid I've lost her forever."

He didn't have to say anything else. The tone in his voice was full of conviction. Sighing heavily, Mamoru placed the picture facedown on the coffee table and buried his head in his hands. It was the sight of a broken man.

"I know it seems bad right now, but you can't believe that," Setsuna said, refusing to believe it. "You and Usagi-chan will get married and become the rulers of the reborn Silver Millennium. It's your destiny!"

"Destiny?" Mamoru spat the word out as if it were a curse. "I wish I never went to the 30th century. There's a reason that people aren't allowed to see the future. All it causes is pain and misery."

Setsuna could definitely understand where he was coming from. It was a burden to know the future, one that weighed heavily upon her heart. Even as the guardian of time, she never allowed herself to look into her own future, fearing what it would bring. The only things she did know were from her dreams about her 30th century self that had awakened her in the present time. She too knew her destiny. She was to die during the final battle with the Black Moon Kingdom in punishment for breaking the final taboo, giving her life to save the kingdom. She would die alone, never knowing true love or happiness, but that was how it had to be.

After a few moments of silence, Setsuna rested a comforting hand on his knee. "I'm sorry, Mamoru-san, for everything. Maybe I should go."

She stood up as if to leave, but to her surprise, he looked up and reached for her hand, pulling her back down on the couch. For the first time since she arrived, Mamoru allowed himself to gaze into those blood red eyes and once again, he was hypnotized. "No, don't go. You're all I have."

Setsuna sucked in a shallow breath as Mamoru raised his hand to tenderly caress her cheek. This was what she always wanted, wasn't it? Usagi knew about the affair, or at least Mamoru suspected she knew, and it appeared that they were finally free to express their love, but Setsuna still felt a pang of guilt in her heart. Usagi was not only her princess, but also one of her best friends. This was wrong. However, she couldn't ignore the strong attraction she felt toward the handsome prince.

In spite of her better judgment, she didn't resist when Mamoru pressed his lips against hers, pulling her into a soft kiss. His hands found their way to the buttons of her blouse, which he quickly unfastened, and Setsuna moaned as he began a trail of butterfly kisses down her neck and stopped at her chest.

"Mamoru…" she whispered as she situated herself underneath him on the couch. He brought a finger to her lips, silently shushing her.

He kissed her once again on the mouth, this time more passionate than before. She responded hungrily to every kiss, every touch, every caress he gave her, falling deeper under the spell of his midnight blue gaze. They were so absorbed in each other that they did not notice when the front door suddenly opened and a woman came in.

At first, she was speechless, her entire body frozen in the doorway of the apartment as she looked on in shock. The world was spinning around her, making her sick to her stomach. It couldn't be true! This had to be a nightmare.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, hoping that when she opened them again, she would be in bed with Mamoru by her side to comfort her like he always did when she had a bad dream, but it didn't work. By that time, the lovers had become aware of her presence and were staring at her as if they were a couple of deer caught in the headlights of a car. Mamoru stood up and started walking toward her.

"Usako."

Usagi shook her head, not wanting to hear his lies anymore. Tears threatened to fall, but she fought the urge to cry, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he hurt her, how they both hurt her. She grabbed the extra set of car keys sitting on a nearby table. There was no way she was staying here for one more second.

"I didn't want to believe it," she stated, her voice as cold as ice. "But it is painfully clear to me now. Goodbye, Mamoru-baka!"

She then turned around and began running down the hallway of the apartment building, the sound of her crying filling the small corridor. Mamoru started after her, but stopped in the middle of the hall when she disappeared from sight. "Usako!" he shouted futilely, not caring if he disturbed any of the neighbors. "Usako!" But it was no use. She was gone. His princess was gone and he'd lost her forever. Mamoru repeated her name again, this time in a soft whisper, as he simply stood there as if he expected that Usagi would turn right back around and come running back into his arms.

From her spot in the doorway, Setsuna watched silently, tears streaming down her face. She quickly buttoned her shirt back up, using the collar to wipe away her tears. This wasn't supposed to happen. Usagi and Mamoru were destined to be together. How could the entire future change in just one single moment of passion?

She knew he didn't love her, not the same way he loved Usagi. Setsuna could see it in his eyes as Mamoru watched Usagi walk out of the apartment and out of his life. Usagi was the one he truly loved, not her. To him, she was nothing more than an object of desire, a delectable piece of forbidden fruit. And perhaps that was the same feeling she held for him. He was forbidden, and therefore desirable. But now, when she looked at him, she no longer felt that surge of passion that consumed her body before. Only a lingering sense of strong friendship remained.

Setsuna came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back. "I'm sorry, Mamoru-san," she apologized, her voice slightly cracking. "I'm so, so sorry."

He chuckled, but there was no joviality in his laugh. "It's ironic, isn't it? You always told me that it was impossible to change a person's destiny, but I guess you were wrong, Time Guardian-san."

"I'm sorry."

Mamoru sighed. "So am I, Setsuna-san, so am I."

They stood there silently for a few minutes until Setsuna finally let go of her embrace. "I better go."

He nodded as she quickly ran back into the apartment and grabbed her purse. They didn't say a word to each other when Setsuna passed him on her way to the elevator. There was nothing more to say. She pressed the down button, taking one last look at him. Their eyes met, but neither felt the supernatural attraction that had plagued them ever since the engagement party. Mamoru finally went back into his apartment just as Setsuna's elevator opened. She stepped in, glad that she was the only passenger, and cried for the best friends she'd ever known.

* * *

Yuuichiro was busy sweeping outside the shrine when Mamoru's red sports car pulled up outside the gates. However, he was surprised to see that it was Usagi who emerged from the driver's side, her face red from all the crying she did. The caretaker immediately dropped his broom and ran over to see what was the matter.

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" he asked. "Where's Mamoru-san? Did something happen to him?

She shook her head. "Where's Rei-chan? I need to talk to her."

"Rei-chan went to the store to buy some things for dinner. I'm sure she'll be back in a few minutes. Let's go inside and I'll make you some tea."

She didn't argue as Yuuichiro took her arm and lead her inside. He made her some green tea, saying that it would calm her nerves, but she didn't feel much like drinking. Green tea reminded her too much of Mamoru. It was his favorite.

A fresh batch of tears clouded her eyes as he handed her the glass of tea. Yuuichiro, sensing her need to be comforted, sat down beside her and let her cry on his shoulder, no questions asked. Sometimes it was better just to cry, rather than to talk. That's what she needed to do right now. To cry for her broken dream.

They stayed like that until Rei finally came home about fifteen minutes later. The priestess, of course, was furious to find that Yuuichiro had abandoned his chores. She stomped into the temple with the broom in her hand and a look of pure anger on her face.

"Yuuichiro-kun, when I get my hands on you, I swear I will-"

Her threat was left hanging in the air when she found the caretaker gently rocking Usagi back and forth in his arms as she cried, and the antagonistic look that was on her face just a short moment ago melted away into concern. Rei came over and relieved Yuuichiro from his burden, telling him to go back to his chores. Not wanting to get on Rei's bad side again, he quickly grabbed the broom and left the room to give the girls some time to talk.

An hour later, Rei came out and found Yuuichiro standing outside the sliding door. He expected her to yell at him like she usually did, but instead, she came over and kissed him on the cheek. "What was that for?" he asked.

"For being such a wonderful person."

He blushed a bright red. "Is Usagi-chan going to be alright?"

Rei shook her head sadly. "I honestly don't know, Yuuichiro-kun. She's heartbroken. I suppose you heard most of the story, right?"

He had. Although he hadn't meant to eavesdrop on Rei's and Usagi's conversation, he couldn't help himself. Besides, the walls of the shrine were paper thin. You could hear everything and anything that went on in there. Yuuichiro leaned on the broom, his chin resting on the top, with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I can't believe that Mamoru-san would cheat on Usagi-chan," he said. "I didn't know the guy very well, but I at least thought he was a man of honor. Did she tell you who the other woman was? She must have been very beautiful to lure him away from Usagi-chan. Mamoru-san was completely devoted to her."

"Usagi refuses to name the little seductress, which might be a good thing, because I just might be tempted to find her and burn her to a crisp for all the pain she's putting Usagi through. It's taking all my willpower not to go over to Mamoru-san's apartment and throw myself a little bonfire as it is."

"Well, he deserves it. If I were engaged to the woman I loved most in the world, there's absolutely no way I would ever cheat on you…er, I mean her."

Rei blushed very prettily at Yuuichiro's unintentional slip of the tongue, but quickly covered it up by turning away. "Would you please get back to your chores? I'm going to go fix Usagi a snack and call the other girls to let them know what happened."

Yuuichiro watched the priestess head to the small kitchen, his mouth open in shock. That was the first time in all the years he lived at the Hikawa Shrine that Rei ever asked him to do his chores, rather than ordering him. With a small smile on his face, the caretaker began sweeping the entrance, lightly humming a popular love song to himself. _She likes me!_


	12. Act 11 Curses

Act Eleven - Curses

Usagi shuffled over to the refrigerator, fighting back a yawn. She was wearing a pair of ratty flannel pajamas and her favorite pink terrycloth robe, her uniform for the past few days. Dark circles were present underneath her bloodshot eyes from a lack of sleep, and her hair hadn't been combed in days. Usagi didn't dare even look at herself in the mirror, afraid to see her reflection. She was already depressed enough without worrying about her looks.

After digging around in her well-stocked refrigerator and freezer, Usagi selected a pint of chocolate ice cream and grabbed a spoon. She then got situated on the couch and turned on the TV to her favorite anime show. Luna, who was laying on the window sill, stared at her mistress in concern. She'd been like this ever since the engagement was broken off.

"Usagi-chan, you're going to get fat if you keep eating like this," the cat warned. "Ice cream is not a suitable breakfast."

In defiance, the blonde scooped up a large blob of ice cream and stuffed it in her mouth. "I don't care, Luna. Ben and Jerry are the only men in my life now, and they don't care how much I weigh."

The black cat shook her head in mild disapproval. Usagi was taking the break-up extremely hard. It was if she didn't care about her life anymore. All she ever did these days was watch TV and eat junk food, occasionally taking a break to cry her little heart out. Luna opened her mouth to lightly scold her mistress once again, but was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Usagi groaned.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"I have a delivery for Tsukino Usagi-san," the delivery boy replied.

The blonde grudgingly answered the door, looking as if she wanted to kill the poor unfortunate boy. The teenager held out a bouquet of beautiful blood red roses, which Usagi grabbed out of his hands as if it were nothing more than a bag of trash. Another pathetic attempt by Mamoru to win back her heart, no doubt. She should have known.

Slamming the door closed after the boy left, Usagi promptly tossed the bouquet of roses into the nearby trashcan without a second thought, not even bothering to read the note attached. She knew they were from Mamoru. Everyday for the past week or so, he had sent her a fresh bouquet of roses along with some sappy haiku he must have composed when he was fighting as Tuxedo Kamen. The thought of her tuxedo-clad hero temporarily brought tears to her eyes, but Usagi fought hard to hold back her sobs. That jerk didn't deserve her tears. She was better off without him.

Luna stretched and jumped off the window sill, taking a seat beside her mistress on the couch. Usagi made a face, finding the carton of ice cream nearly empty. "Stupid ice cream," she muttered, setting the carton aside.

"Usagi-chan, I wish you would snap out of this funk," the cat said. "The girls and I are worried about you. It's not healthy, physically or mentally. You know you are going to have to go back into the world sooner or later. You can't just stay in this apartment forever."

"Why not?"

The black cat scratched her head. "Well…how are you going to get money to pay for your rent? It's only a matter of time before your boss figures out that you aren't really sick and fires you. Then what will you do?"

Usagi waved her hand disinterestedly, obviously not too worried. The brilliance of her engagement ring, still worn on her left hand, sparkled brightly in the soft morning sun pouring in from the open window. "It's not a problem. I'll just pawn my ring. Naru-chan said it's worth at least half of a million dollars. That's plenty of cash to live off for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll even leave the country for a while and go on vacation in the Caribbean or somewhere."

Luna groaned. "I can't believe you still haven't returned the ring. The engagement is off. It isn't appropriate for you to keep it."

"You want me to return the ring?" Usagi said, hiding her hand behind her back as if she seriously expect Luna to yank it off her finger, never mind that she was a cat. "No way, Jose! I deserve to keep it after all those years I spent saving his butt. Besides, what would Mamoru-baka want with my ring? To give it to that cheap floozy?"

Once again, tears came to her sad blue eyes, but this time Usagi didn't bother to fight the conflicting emotions in her heart. Sobs shook throughout her body as she buried her head in her hands. When would this unending pain stop?

Beside her, Luna rubbed her head against Usagi's elbow in comfort. "It'll be okay, Usagi-chan. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but one day, you will get over this. Maybe you'll even learn to forgive Mamoru-san for what he's done."

"I'll never forgive him, Luna. Never."

The cat looked up at Usagi, sadness filling her heart. She hated seeing her mistress like this. Luna would take the silly, ditzy Usagi over this girl any day. She then turned to leave, thinking that Usagi probably wanted to be alone, when she saw a strange black light out of the corner of her eye. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Usagi asked, wiping her eyes with her blanket. She was surprised to see that Luna was staring at her hand.

"Your ring. I could have sworn…"

"Sworn what? What is it, Luna? Did you see something?"

Luna shook her head. "It's nothing," she said, not wanting Usagi to worry. "I was probably imagining things, but would you mind if I borrow your ring for a couple of days? Don't worry, I'm not going to give it back to Mamoru-san!" Luna assured her in an exasperated voice when Usagi once again tried to hide her hand from sight. "That's something you have to do yourself."

Confused by Luna's request, Usagi glanced down at the ring in question, wondering what the cat saw. It looked perfectly normal to her. She shrugged, then slowly pulled the ring off her finger. It was about time she took it off anyway. Luna was right. She really shouldn't be wearing it anymore now that the engagement was called off.

After she gave the ring to Luna, Usagi stood up and stretched, deciding to take a shower. Maybe Luna was right about her needing to go out again as well. It wasn't often that her faithful guardian was wrong, and she had to admit it was a beautiful day, just perfect for a walk in the park.

She quickly bathed and changed into some fresh clothes, finding that she actually did feel a little better now that she was clean. Luna was already gone when she came back out, but she didn't think anything of it. Luna probably had a date with Artemis or something. She then turned off the TV and walked out of the apartment, a fake smile plastered on her face as she headed toward the park.

She could do this. Nothing to it.

* * *

Rather than on a date with Artemis as Usagi thought, however, Luna was actually at the Crown Fruit Parlor and Arcade, making use of the secret control room located underneath the Sailor V game. The room hadn't been used in years, and it showed. Dust was everywhere, and the cat sneezed as she typed in her password, the tiny particles on the keyboard being disturbed by her movements.

A few minutes later, the computer was finished booting up. She was glad to see that it was still pretty much in working order. A lot of the information was outdated, though. Mentally, she wrote a note to remind herself to tell Artemis and Mercury to update the program. It didn't matter that years had passed since the battle with Sailor Galaxia; the Sailor Soldiers still needed to be on alert for possible enemies. Maybe she would even call a couple of emergency training practices so they could brush up on their attacks. It couldn't hurt, and if the feeling she had proved to be a real threat, they definitely needed to be ready to fight again, especially Usagi.

The cat placed Usagi's engagement ring inside a special compartment of the computer and began running a thorough inspection of the seemingly harmless-looking pink diamond. The results were shocking, to say the least. Luna's cinnamon red eyes widened as she scanned the analysis. Never in a thousand years did she expect this.

According to the results, the ring was infused with negative power. That in itself wouldn't be that shocking, as the cat suspected as much, but it was the particular energy signature that caused Luna to take a second look, thinking that there had to be some mistake. The Sailor Soldiers had destroyed Queen Metalia and the Dark Kingdom nearly eight years ago. It wasn't possible. There was nothing left, so they thought.

Luna typed another command into the computer, ordering an even more extensive examination. The new results only confirmed the earlier findings. The negative power found in the ring definitely had the markings of the Dark Kingdom. The black cat felt her fur rise along her back. There had to be some kind of logical explanation.

"Luna, what are you doing down here?"

She must have jumped at least ten feet in the air at the sound of a deep male voice in the room. Once she calmed down her nerves, Luna turned around and glared at her white-haired partner, who was laughing hysterically at her expense. "Artemis, stop that!" Luna ordered. "This is no time to be joking around."

"Why? What's going on, Luna?"

She rested her paw on the report. "This is the problem."

Artemis's goofy face immediately turned serious at the sight of the results. If it was possible, his soft fur actually turned a paler shade of white, as if he had seen a ghost. "The Dark Kingdom? But how is this even possible? Beryl and Metalia have been dead f-"

"I know, I know."

"We have to tell the girls," Artemis said, heading toward the door. "Let's go. Mina-chan and the rest of the Inners are having lunch here."

Luna quickly grabbed the results with her mouth and followed her partner out of the control room.

* * *

The priestess of the Hikawa Shrine absentmindedly stirred her tea with her spoon, not really paying attention to her friends' conversation. Over a week had passed since Usagi showed up at the shrine, upset about finding Mamoru in the arms of a still unidentified woman, and Rei was starting to really worry about her best friend. They hadn't seen or heard from her in days. Beside her, Ami lightly poked her in her ribcage.

"Rei-chan, is something on your mind?" the kind doctor asked. "You've been awfully quiet today."

Rei shrugged her shoulders. "I was just thinking about Usagi again. Yesterday, I went over to the apartment to ask her if she was interested in attending the festival with Yuuichiro-kun and me, but she wouldn't answer the door."

"Same thing with me," Makoto said. "Last Wednesday I came over with a fresh batch of Usagi-chan's favorite chocolate chip cookies to cheer her up, but I got the same response. She didn't want to talk. I just wish she would allow us to help. The last thing she needs is to be alone at a time like this."

Across the table, the goddess of love herself sighed. "I still can't believe that the engagement is really called off. Never in a million years did I expect this to happen. Mamoru-san and Usagi-chan were so much in love, and they've been through so much over the past eight or so years. I thought nothing could ever tear them apart."

"I don't think any of us ever expected this to happen," Ami replied. "We took what we knew about the future for granted, thinking that our destinies were set in stone. Obviously, we were wrong."

A small gasp came from Makoto's lips, and her dark green eyes widened until they were as big as saucers. "I didn't even think about that, Ami-chan," she confessed. "What's going to happen to us now? Crystal Tokyo won't exist if Mamoru-san and Usagi-chan don't get married."

Even with all her intelligence, the soldier of wisdom could not think of an answer to her friend's question. Ami shook her head sadly. "I don't know, Mako-chan. I just don't know."

The girls sat in silence, reflecting on what Makoto just pointed out. This was bigger than just a simple break-up. The entire future as they knew it was gone. There would be no Crystal Tokyo, no Chibi-Usa, and worst of all, no peace, for how could there be peace without Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion to rule over the reborn Silver Millennium? Were they now destined for a life of  
war and discord?

Luna and Artemis, coming from the secret control room, walked over to the table where the girls were sitting, interrupting the quiet. The black cat jumped on the table and sat the thick report in front of Ami, while her partner took a seat in the empty chair beside his mistress. Curious, the blue-haired doctor began flipping through the pages. "What's this, Luna?" she asked.

"I'm afraid we might have some trouble, girls," the cat replied seriously. "This is the analysis of Usagi-chan's engagement ring, which-"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me that meatball head still hasn't given the ring back to Mamoru-san," she interrupted.

"Yes, well, that's the least of our worries right now, Rei-chan. This morning, I noticed a strange black light being emitted from the ring, so I asked to borrow it and run a few tests. The results were shocking, to say the least."

Ami, who was busy reading the analysis, gasped and dropped the stack of papers, almost knocking over her glass of tea. Thanks to Rei's quick reflexes, though, she caught the glass before its contents could spill over the report. Minako and Makoto stared expectantly at the blue-haired doctor, surprised at the ill look on her face.

"What is it, Ami-chan?" Minako finally asked, but Ami could only shake her head and point at the report, her voice gone from shock.

Artemis cleared his throat and joined Luna on the table. "What Ami-chan is trying to say is that the analysis shows that a negative power with the energy signature of the Dark Kingdom was found inside the ring," he said.

"But that's not possible. We defeated Metalia and them almost a decade ago, Artemis. There must be some kind of mistake!"

Luna shook her head. "I'm afraid that there is no mistake, Minako-chan. I ran the tests twice, and both times the results were the same. There is no doubt about it. The Dark Kingdom put some kind of curse on Usagi-chan's engagement ring."

"So, does that mean that Queen Metalia has somehow been resurrected?" Makoto asked.

"It's really too soon to tell, Mako-chan. We can't jump to conclusions. So far, the cursed ring is the only evidence we have of the enemy. There haven't been any reports lately about youma attacks or energy drainages that I know about. I just don't know what to think about this."

A recovered Ami began going over the information again, trying to make sense of the analysis. Luna was right. There was something strange about the fact that there had been no attacks. The Dark Kingdom was notorious for its unending need of human energy, however, the ring showed no sign of being an energy draining device. It wasn't like them at all.

"Could it be possible that Usagi's ring was just a left over from the first Dark Kingdom attack?" Rei suggested hopefully. "If I remember correctly, Jadeite staged an attack on Naru-chan's mother's jewelry shop. Right? Maybe the ring was part of some old inventory."

"It's a possibility, but not very likely," Luna said. "During the first attack, the jewelry was used to gather energy from its wearers. Usagi's ring, on the other hand, doesn't appear to have that ability. It's more like it was used to cast a spell or a curse."

"Like causing Mamoru to sleep with another woman and breaking up the prince and princess's engagement?" Ami asked, suddenly understanding what Luna was suggesting.

"Exactly."

Minako leaned back in her chair, letting everything Luna and Artemis just told them sink in. A cursed ring would be a logical explanation for Mamoru's uncharacteristic behavior. "But why would somebody want to break up Usagi-chan's and Mamoru-san's engagement?" she mused, half to herself.

"I don't know, Minako-chan," Makoto answered, slamming her fist on the table. "But whoever is behind this is going to answer to me."

Rei's violet eyes burned with a fire which could easily match or even surpass Makoto's anger. Usagi wasn't just her princess, she was also her best friend. That somebody could put her friend through so much pain and heartache made her blood boil. "We need to tell Usagi and the others about this. Let's call a meeting at the temple later today with everyone present, even Mamoru-san. Maybe he could tell us exactly what caused him to sleep with another woman, whether it was simple physical attraction or if there could have been something supernatural at work. For all we know, the woman might even be the enemy."

"No, now is not the time."

Everyone looked over at the serious black cat in surprise. Luna was staring out the window, a single tear running down the cheek. Unbeknownst to the others, who were all too busy thinking about the ring and its implications, Usagi had just walked past the Crown Fruit Parlor, the look of pure sadness and despair written all over her tear-streaked face as she fought against the pedestrian traffic. It broke Luna's heart to see her beloved mistress this way.

Artemis walked over and gently nudged his lover. "What is it, Luna?"

"We can't tell her, not yet, Artemis," she repeated, shaking her head. "Not until we have some more proof. Usagi-chan's in so much pain. Do you know how much this would hurt her if we happen to be wrong about this?"

"But she has to know. The princess could be in danger. We have to do something."

Sighing, Luna turned back around toward the group. "We'll protect her. That's all we can do until we know more about the enemy. Protect her and pray that this will all turn out for the best in the end."

* * *

Outside Usagi's apartment building, her former lover pulled his jacket closer to his body, trying to keep warm in the cool autumn air. Though it was still fall, it looked like winter had decided to make an early appearance this year. Temperatures were already down to the early fifties, late forties. It sent a chill down Mamoru's spine.

He glanced down at his watch. It was almost one o'clock in the afternoon. The prince of Earth had been sitting on the same bench right outside the entrance of the building for nearly two hours, trying to build up the courage to go up to Usagi's apartment. Mamoru knew he was probably the last person she wanted to see today, but he needed to talk to her about what happened. It was a long shot, but he was growing desperate. The pain of living without her was worse than death itself. He had to make her understand that she was the one he truly loved. Setsuna had been a mistake. Tired from a lack of sleep, Mamoru hung down his head and closed his eyes.

Setsuna… He still didn't quite understand what had possessed him to make love to the mysterious guardian of time. In all the years he'd known her, he never saw her as more than just a good friend, someone who he could talk to about physics or law without her getting that glazed over look in her eyes that Usagi often did whenever he tried to hold an intelligent conversation with her. But that night he took her home from the party after she was almost raped by that racer, something came over him. At the time, he thought it was love, feeling as if he had been shot in the heart by one of Cupid's gold-tipped arrows. Of course, it might have been simple lust, for there was no doubt that Setsuna was one of the most beautiful women he ever met, but Mamoru liked to think that he had more control over himself. After all, all the Sailor Soldiers were attractive in their own special way, especially Rei, Minako, and Michiru, yet he never found himself sleeping in their beds. It was more like something had forced him and Setsuna together. But what?

His head jerked up suddenly, seeing a flash of golden blonde hair out of the corner of his eye. Usagi walked passed him, not even recognizing him, heading toward the park. Mamoru stood up from the bench and called out to her. "Usako!"

At the sound of her name, the blonde slowly turned around, her blue eyes filled with sadness and anger to see him there. It broke Mamoru's heart. Then, without saying a word, she swirled around on the back of her heel and began quickly walking away, tears clouding her eyes. Her plan of going to the park forgotten, Usagi headed in the opposite direction, fighting against the crowd.

_Why is he here? Does he want to torture me?_ Usagi thought. She accidentally crashed into a young mother, not really paying attention to where she was going, causing the bag of groceries she was holding to fall to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, miss," Usagi apologized, bowing politely before helping the dark-haired woman and her son pick up the groceries. A flash of déjà vu hit Usagi as she looked into the mother's dark green eyes, but she was too upset to wonder why.

"That's okay. It could happen to anyone," the woman assured her.

Usagi looked behind her as she grabbed a can of chicken soup that had rolled away, surprised that Mamoru had managed to catch up with her. He called out her name again, but she had no intention of talking to him. Usagi handed the can to the little boy and sprinted off again, mumbling another apology. Why couldn't he leave her alone?

"Usako!"

Tears were now streaming down her face uncontrollably as she ran, the cool air stinging her watery eyes. The people around her must have thought she looked like a madwoman, running down the streets of Tokyo with one of her buns unraveled and her eyes bloodshot, but she didn't care. All she cared about was getting away from Mamoru so he couldn't hurt her anymore.

"Usako!"

She sped up her pace when she realized he managed to catch up to her once again. He always had been a better athlete than her. Despite her less than stellar athletic abilities, Usagi was able to put a little more distance between them until she tripped over someone's water hose that was laying carelessly in the middle of the sidewalk. She fell hard on the ground, sobs shaking throughout her body.

Mamoru quickly ran over to help. "Usako, are you okay?" he asked, trying to help her stand up, but she roughly pushed him away.

"Don't touch me! I can get up by myself…Owwww!"

She collapsed back on the ground in pain, holding onto her injured left knee. Mamoru kneeled down beside her and gently moved her hands aside, finding the knee was scraped up pretty badly. Despite her objections, he scooped the blonde up in his arms and carried her over to a nearby bench, where he began wrapping her knee in a gauze strip he conveniently found in his pocket. "You learn to be prepared for injury after years of fighting youma," he said, answering the unasked question in her deep blue eyes.

"Thank you, Mamoru-san," she said softly after he finished wrapping her knee.

Her former fiancé cringed at her formality, but figured it was probably appropriate considering that they were no longer lovers."I will always be there to rescue you, Usagi-san. No matter what."

Hesitantly, he reached over and placed his hand over her own, squeezing it lightly. She allowed the hand to remain there for a few seconds before gentlypulling away from his grasp and standing up. "I have to go. Luna is probably wondering where I am."

"Usagi-san, please don't go yet," he pleaded. "I know you probably don't want to hear excuses, but please just let me explain what happened with-"

"There's no need to explain anything," Usagi said bitterly. "I know what happened. You and Setsuna-san, one of my dearest friends, betrayed me, and then you didn't even have the guts to tell me about it. Instead I had to walk in on you two, in what I considered to be our apartment, about to make love. You lied to me, Mamoru-san, and that is the one thing I cannot forgive."

The prince of Earth bowed his head in shame. "I know it was wrong, but I just didn't know how to tell you. I was afraid you wouldn't understand. I didn't want to lose you."

Usagi's blue eyes softened for a moment as she sat back down on the bench beside Mamoru. "Remember the morning after the engagement party?" she asked. "I suspected that you had been with another woman, but I was willing to forgive and forget if you confessed. After all, we did have that huge fight earlier. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had a one night stand because of it, even if it was with Setsuna-san. It would have been hard, but I would have eventually forgiven you both. But you lied about what happened that night, and now I don't think I could ever trust you again."

"But you can. I promise I'll never lie to you again, Usagi-san. Just please forgive me. I love you so much."

Standing up, Usagi shook her head sadly. "I wish I could believe that, but I can't. Goodbye, Mamoru-san."

"Usako…"

He watched the love of his life walk away from him, his heart literally breaking in half. She was gone and he was left alone. Again.


	13. Act 12 Birthday Surprise

Act 12 - Birthday Surprise

Setsuna was awakened by an unmistakable wave of nausea. She groaned, grabbing her churning stomach. She felt horrible! The time guardian took in a few deep breaths, trying to fight the overwhelming urge to hurl the lasagna Michiru made for dinner last night, but her stomach just would not settle down. Throwing on a robe, she quickly ran to the bathroom across the hall and rode the porcelain bus.

After what seemed like forever, she finally flushed the toilet and rested her forehead on the coolness of the vinyl seat. "I hate being sick," she mumbled under her breath.

Feeling a little better, she stood back up and dragged herself over to the sink, from which she took a long drink of delicious water to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth. The lasagna may have been delicious when she ate it last night, but it sure didn't taste very good coming back up. She then opened the medicine cabinet, looking for something to get rid of her nausea, but found only perfume and a half-empty bottle of aspirin. Setsuna cursed and slammed the cabinet shut, almost breaking the mirror on the door. "You would think with Hotaru-chan working at the hospital, she would at least have some Pepto-Bismol laying around," she muttered, looking at herself in the mirror.

Not liking what she saw, the time guardian stuck out her tongue at her tired reflection in the mirror. She looked as terrible as she felt. Setsuna grabbed a brush and began angrily running it through her long, hunter green hair, doing more damage than good. It's such a pain to have such long hair. One day, I'm going to cut it all off so I don't have to mess with these stupid tangles every morning, she thought bitterly as someone knocked on the bathroom door.

"Who the hell is it?" she called out, yanking the brush through a particularly tangled section of her hair. She yelped in pain.

There was a familiar laugh from outside the door. "Somebody definitely got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Haruka teased. "How long do you plan to be in there, Setsuna? I need to take a shower."

Deciding that she wasn't in the mood to fix her hair in her normal hairstyle, Setsuna grabbed one of Hotaru's rubber bands and pulled her tresses into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. "I don't know, Haruka," she said, washing her face. "Beauty takes time, you know."

The tomboy rolled her eyes. What was it about girls and their appearance? All she needed was a hot shower and some clean clothes, and she was ready to face the world. Setsuna, Hotaru, and Michiru, on the other hand, could take hours in the bathroom, putting on make-up, doing their hair, and doing whatever else they did in there. No matter how long she lived with them, Haruka would never understand why it took the women in her life so long to get ready in the morning.

"Well, can you try to hurry it up in there? I'm due at the track in an hour."

"Why don't you use your own bathroom? This one's mine and Hotaru-chan's."

"Michiru's using ours."

Setsuna spit out her toothpaste. "That never stopped you before, Haruka," she said in a mildly sarcastic voice.

"Yeah, well, we're kinda not talking to each other right now," she admitted, running a hand through her short blond hair.

"What did you do this time?"

"Nothing."

"Haruka…"

"Okay, so maybe I was flirting with the pretty waitress at the restaurant last night, but it was just a little harmless fun."

The garnet-eyed woman shook her head in mild amusement. Haruka had a lot of "harmless fun" with other girls when she thought her lover wasn't looking. Honestly, Setsuna didn't know why Michiru continued to put up with it, but she supposed that true love was blind.

She blinked back tears as she felt her stomach do another somersault. Running back over to the toilet, she made it just in time.

Outside, Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Setsuna, are you okay in there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, wiping her mouth with a towel. "I just have a little stomach virus or something. That's all."

"Man, that sucks. I would hate to be sick on my birthday."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Haruka's blond eyebrows knit together in confusion and worry. "Don't tell me that you, the so-called guardian of time, forgot today is your birthday?"

Ruby red eyes searched the large bathroom until they rested on the small calendar hanging over the toilet. Still feeling a little queasy, Setsuna carefully stood up and studied the calendar. Sure enough, it was October 29th, her birthday. Setsuna stared at the circled date, disbelief written all over her face. How could she have forgotten her own birthday?

Besides being circled, there was also something written in the small box in her familiar flowing handwriting. She squinted, believing that her eyes were playing some cruel joke on her as she read the private message: Period Ends! Yippie! Her eyes widened. She was supposed to have gotten her period four days ago.

For a normal woman, this probably wouldn't have been cause for alarm. It was perfectly natural for the menstruation period to come a few days late or a few days earlier than expected. However, Setsuna wasn't a normal woman; she was the guardian of time. Therefore, she always knew exactly when she would get her period and how long it would last. For as long as she could remember, it always came right on time, just like clockwork, and lasted exactly four days. Setsuna felt herself become sick again, but not because of nausea. Because of dread.

She slid back down on the floor, clutching her stomach. She couldn't be… There had to be some kind of mistake. Maybe she just miscalculated her cycle this time or maybe there was some other reason why she skipped her period, like stress. She had been under a lot of stress lately. There was no denying that.

Haruka knocked on the door again, causing Setsuna to jump back up in surprise. She'd forgotten Haruka was standing outside, waiting to take a shower.

"Setsuna, are you sure you are okay?" her friend asked. "Do you want me to call Ami-chan and have her come over?"

Taking a few deep breaths to calm her racing heartbeat, Setsuna quickly took another drink of water, then opened the door to let the tall tomboy in. The concern was evident in Haruka's blue eyes as she took a look at her friend. "You don't look so good, Setsuna," she said, pushing a loose strand of green hair back behind the garnet-eyed woman's ear. Though it was killing her, she refrained from making a crack about how Setsuna needed some more time to make herself beautiful, thinking the time guardian probably wouldn't appreciate it.

"I'll be okay, Haruka," Setsuna assured her before exiting the bathroom and entering her bedroom. She flopped down on her unmade bed, tears clouding her eyes. It couldn't be true. There had to be some other explanation.

But in her heart, she already knew. She was pregnant with Mamoru's love child.

* * *

After neatly wiping the sandwich crumbs off her desk, Dr. Mizuno Ami sighed, her dark blue eyes falling on her and Ryo's wedding portrait. It had been nearly two years since they were married, and yet she still hadn't managed to get pregnant. She was beginning to think that it was never going to happen. Maybe there was something about being a Sailor Soldier that prevented her from having a child. After all, Chibi-Usa never did mention any of the others having children.

"Oh, Ryo…" she whispered, trying to hold back her tears. "Will you still love me even if I can't give birth to the child you so desperately want?"

A knock on her office door caused the blue-haired woman to jerk her head up in surprise. She wiped her watery eyes with a tissue and told the visitor to come in. A young nurse popped her head inside the office.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything, Mizuno-sensei," the nurse said.

"No, that's okay, Tanaka-san," Ami replied, putting on her glasses and smiling at the blonde. "I was just finishing my lunch. What is it?"

The nurse looked down at the clipboard in her hands. "Your next patient is Meioh Setsuna. She's waiting in the examination room."

Her blue eyebrows knit together in worry. Ami hoped that there was nothing wrong with the guardian of time. "Thank you. I will be there in a few minutes."

Opening her filing cabinet, she pulled out Setsuna's thin file. Although she was primarily a gynecologist/obstetrician, Ami also served as the Sailor Soldier's primary physician, being as she was the only doctor in Tokyo with any knowledge of how a Sailor Soldiers's body worked. She then went across the hallway to the examination room where she found Setsuna waiting nervously, already dressed in a paper gown. Ami smiled as she took a seat in a nearby chair.

"Hello, Setsuna-san," Ami greeted her friend warmly. "You're the last person I expected to see here. Shouldn't you be at a birthday party or something?"

Setsuna looked down at her hands, purposely averting the kind doctor's eyes. Maybe she should have gone to another doctor. She wasn't sure if she was ready for any of the other girls to know about the pregnancy, although she knew that if she did happen to be pregnant, Ami could be trusted to keep her secret until she was ready to admit it.

Ami looked at her in concern. "Setsuna-san, is something wrong?" she asked, pushing her thin blue glasses back up her nose. Setsuna mumbled something under her breath, but Ami couldn't understand what she said. "What?"

"I missed my period," she finally admitted in a low voice. Ami's mouth rounded into an understanding "O" as she marked something down on her chart.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected," Ami replied, regaining her composure. "How late are you?"

"Four days."

Smiling just a little, Ami looked up at her patient. "Four days? Is that all? I'm sure it's nothing to be worried ab-"

"But it is, Ami-san. I'm _never_ late. And this morning, I vomited twice."

Setsuna's normally olive complexion looked positively white, alarming the usually calm doctor. The patient looked absolutely terrified. Ami took off her glasses and started rubbing her temples. "Is it possible?" she finally asked. "I mean, I know you went to the engagement party with Haruka-san's friend, but Hotaru-chan told me that you two didn't exactly hit it off."

"We didn't."

"But you did have unprotected sex? I'm not trying to intrude or anything, Setsuna-san, but…"

Setsuna slowly nodded her head, a blush crawling up to her face. She was careful not to meet Ami's questioning gaze, still uncomfortable about talking about such a sensitive subject with the younger woman. "Yes, it's possible," she said softly.

The doctor sighed, checking a couple more boxes on Setsuna's chart. Meioh Setsuna was the last person on Earth she expected to be pregnant. She couldn't believe it, but a few minutes later, Nurse Tanaka delivered the results of the pregnancy test, confirming the time guardian's suspicions.

"Happy Birthday, Setsuna-san," Ami said, a slight smile on her face. "You're having a baby."

Though she already knew, Setsuna felt her heart skip a beat at Ami's announcement and that same feeling of dread washed over her again. It was one thing to suspect that she was pregnant, but hearing the blue-haired doctor confirm the pregnancy made the awful truth seem suddenly, and frighteningly, real. Sensing her friend's fear, Ami walked over and took Setsuna's shaking hand in her own.

"You don't want the baby, do you?" she asked, squeezing Setsuna's hand in comfort. "You know you do have options. I can recommend someone-"

Setsuna shook her head, knowing in her heart that she could never bring herself to abort the baby, Mamoru's child. She pulled her hand away from Ami's grasp and rested it on her flat stomach, still amazed that there was an actual life within her. "Ami-chan, promise me you won't tell the others, not even Hotaru-chan," she whispered as if she expected her violet-eyed adopted daughter to come bursting through the room at any second. "I have to tell them myself."

"Of course I won't, Setsuna-san. Your secret is safe with me. Just be careful, okay? You are the first Sailor Soldier to become pregnant, so I have no data on how fighting could affect the developing fetus."

Setsuna gave the doctor a confused look. "Fighting? But we haven't fought an enemy in over six years, ever since the battle with Sailor Galaxia. Is there something you and the other Inners know and haven't told us Outers?"

A faint blush rose to Ami's face, realizing her mistake. She shouldn't have said anything. The day Luna told them about the ring, she and the other girls decided it would be best if they didn't involve the Outers unless it was absolutely necessary. After all, Pluto, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn, with all their powerful attacks and talismans, didn't have the experience fighting the Dark Kingdom that the Inners did. It was also perhaps wounded pride that stopped the Inners from revealing all they knew to the others, feeling that they could take care of the possible new threat by themselves without the sometimes sometimes condescending Outers' help. They wanted to prove that they were strong enough to protect the princess by themselves.

"No, of course not," Ami lied quickly, wishing she could tell Setsuna the truth. Out of the group, she had been the lone Inner who wanted to inform the Outers about what was going on, but she was outvoted five-to-one. "I was just saying that if the opportunity to fight should arise, I want you to be careful. Okay?"

"Sure," the time guardian replied, hopping off the examination table. "Is that all?"

Ami nodded. "I'll see you in about a month for your next appointment."

Setsuna grabbed her clothes from off the counter and headed toward the private dressing room, pausing before opening the door. "Ami-chan, thank you for everything. I really appreciate it."

The corners of the doctor's mouth curled up into a small smile. "Everything will turn out fine, Setsuna-san," she assured her as the green-haired woman entered the dressing room. "Congratulations, and happy birthday!"

* * *

_A baby?_ Setsuna walked down the halls of the maternity wing, still trying to convince herself that this wasn't a part of some horrible dream. Water filled her eyes as she painfully pinched her left arm. It wasn't a dream, though. She really was pregnant with Mamoru's child.

How could this have happened? There was never any mention of her child in any of her dreams about Crystal Tokyo. Did this mean that the future really had been changed when she and Mamoru decided to sleep together? She never felt so scared or confused in her entire life. In one single night, everybody's destiny had changed, and it was all her fault. Setsuna never knew she had so much power.

Passing by the nursery, the guardian of time felt herself drawn to the glass window separating the newborn babies from the outside world. A small smile danced across her lips as she looked down at the nine tiny little miracles, each cuter than the last. There were five boys and four girls, each wrapped in either a blue or pink blanket corresponding to their sex. One of the babies, a little girl with dark brown hair and clear blue eyes, looked over at Setsuna, and she could have sworn that the infant smiled at her, though it was most likely just gas.

Setsuna cooed and waved at her new friend, a warm feeling burning in her heart. She was so adorable and innocent. Beside the garnet-eyed woman, a tall man grinned. "Is that little angel yours?" he asked, startling Setsuna from her reverie.

The soldier of time shook her head. "Actually, I found out today that I'm pregnant."

"Congratulations. My wife just gave birth to a healthy boy about five hours ago," he informed her, the pride obvious in his voice as he pointed out his new son to the stranger. "His name is Ringo, after Ishiyo's favorite member of the Beatles."

The man rolled his eyes, but Setsuna could tell that the name didn't really matter to the proud papa. The baby's name could have been Dog and the man would be as pleased as punch. Setsuna placed her palm against the window pane, sighing softly. "Happy birthday to you, too, little Ringo-chan," she whispered.

"Too?"

She turned toward the man, smiling. "Yes. It just so happens that today is my birthday as well."

"Wow! Happy birthday, Miss…"

"Meioh. Meioh Setsuna."

They shook hands, the man introducing himself as Shinohara Hiromasa. "That's one heck of a birthday present, Meioh-san," Mr. Shinohara declared with a chuckle. "I don't know how your husband's going to be able to top a baby."

For a moment, her blood red eyes darkened with sadness at Mr. Shinohara's perfectly innocent comment. Setsuna gave herself a comforting hug as she turned away from the kind stranger's gaze, not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes. "I'm not married," she replied softly. "I have no one."

Mr. Shinohara blushed lightly. "I'm sorry, Meioh-san. I didn't know."

Wiping away her tears, Setsuna turned back around and gave the man a forgiving smile. "That's okay, Shinohara-san. You couldn't have known about my situation. It was an honest mistake."

A not uncomfortable silence fell over the two strangers as they turned their attention back to the babies. The tiny girl who had smiled at Setsuna was fast asleep, but Ringo was still wide awake, screaming his cute little head off as his father made funny faces against the glass. Setsuna hid a smile as she watched the exchange between father and son, sensing that little rugrat was going to be a troublemaker. His barely opened blue eyes were already filled with mischief.

A sudden feeling of maternal instinct coming over her, Setsuna brought her hand to her stomach, rubbing it gently. Maybe this baby was really a blessing in disguise. Silently, she allowed herself to wonder what her child might be like, once it was born. Would it be like Ringo, mischievous and loud? Or would it be more like the little angel, whose name, according to the sign on the outside of the crib, was appropriately Tenshi? Or maybe it would be more like Hotaru when she was reborn as a baby, full of love, joy, and happiness that charmed every single person she met, even a reluctant mother Haruka.

"It changes your life," Mr. Shinohara said, interrupting her thoughts. His voice was filled with awe. "I never truly felt alive until the moment I held my son, so innocent and helpless, in my arms for the first time this morning. It was as if I finally found my purpose in life, to be the best father I can be to this sweet little boy. This is my destiny, and I embrace it with open arms."

Setsuna's garnet eyes widened at the young father's impassioned words, his impromptu speech touching a hidden spot in her heart. Noticing the look on her face, Mr. Shinohara cleared his throat, an embarrassed grin on his face. "I'm sorry about that," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "I kinda got carried away there for a second, didn't I? You probably think I'm crazy or something…"

"No, I don't think your crazy at all, Shinohara-san."

The man blushed, looking down at his watch. His wife was probably waiting for him to bring up the Chinese food he stepped out to get an hour ago. So, he said goodbye to the pretty stranger, wishing her a happy birthday once again, and headed to Ishiyo's room, humming a sweet lullaby to himself.

Setsuna watched Mr. Shinohara walk away, a thoughtful look on her face. This is my destiny, and I embrace it with open arms. Mr. Shinohara's words echoed inside her head. Was it possible that this baby was her destiny as well? Her new destiny?

Setsuna was so intent on her thoughts that she didn't notice when Hotaru walked up behind her, dressed in her candy striper's uniform. The raven-haired beauty gently tapped her adopted mother on the shoulder, surprised when Setsuna involuntarily jumped as if she had been in the middle of a daydream.

"Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru asked. "What are you doing here at the hospital?"

The time guardian turned around to face her daughter, hoping she didn't look too suspicious. It wasn't time to tell her family about the pregnancy, not yet. Setsuna smiled, giving Hotaru a hug.

"I came to see you, silly!" she lied. "Are you on your lunch break? I was hoping that we maybe could go out for lunch together. Michiru was just talking about this great new tearoom just down the block from the hospital. It'll be my treat!"

The candy striper gave her mother a weird look. Since when did Setsuna start visiting her at work and offering to take her out for lunch?

"That sounds great, Setsuna-mama," she finally said. "But shouldn't I be the one treating you to lunch? It is your birthday, after all."

"Nonsense! If I want to take my favorite daughter out to lunch on my birthday, then I will. Besides, you know how I am about birthdays. It's just another day. Now, come on."

Hotaru glanced up at the clock on the wall, sighing. "Okay, I guess I can go. My lunch break starts in about ten minutes, but I'm sure Ami won't mind if I leave a little early, since it is your birthday. Let me just go tell her we're going."

After she got permission to leave, Hotaru and Setsuna headed over to the tearoom where they had a very nice lunch together, but the younger woman still couldn't shake the feeling that her mother was keeping something from her. Something important. Every time Hotaru attempted to steer the conversation in her direction, Setsuna would immediately ask her something about school, or Kimi, or Shingo. By the time the check was delivered to their table, the violet-eyed teen was convinced there was something wrong.

"Setsuna-mama, what is going on?" she asked as they stood up to leave. "Are you sick? Is that why you were at the hospital?"

Setsuna shook her head, wishing she could tell her worried daughter the truth, but it just wasn't the right time. She tenderly pushed back a strand of Hotaru's black hair behind her ear, a sad smile on her face. "It's nothing, my little Hotaru-chan," she lied. "Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine."

"But, Setsuna-mama…"

They walked out of the tearoom, Setsuna hailing a passing cab. Hotaru had a surprised look on her face as her mother got into the backseat of the taxi. Their house wasn't too far from the hospital, only about five blocks away. Why would she need a cab?

"Where are you going?"

The green-haired woman sighed as she closed the door. "Somewhere I have to go," she answered cryptically through the open window. "I'll be home soon. Don't worry. You better get back to the hospital before Ami-chan decides to fire you. I'll see you later."

"But…"

The cab pulled away before Hotaru could finish stating her question. All she could do is watch as the yellow car merged with the Tokyo traffic and wave goodbye, biting her lip in worry. What was going on with Setsuna?

* * *

Mamoru took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes, feeling the beginnings of a major headache coming on after spending about five hours going over contracts. Someday he was going to go completely blind from reading all the fine print contractors were so fond of using these days. He blinked a couple of times, trying to bring his vision back into focus.

Ever since the day he chased Usagi through the streets of Tokyo and she more or less told him that there was no chance of them ever getting back together, he'd thrown himself into his work, trying to distract himself from the pain he felt in his heart. So far, though, it hadn't worked.

The apartment seemed so empty and impersonal now without her endless chatter and beautiful smile to greet him when he came home from a rough day at the office. Mamoru even found himself missing the most trivial things, like the sight of her pink toothbrush sitting next to his in the bathroom or her ratty old bunny slippers beside the front door. It was silly, but those tiny touches made the place feel more like home. Now, it was like he was living in a hotel.

Mamoru sighed, picking up the framed photograph of the two of them at the amusement park from his desk. Most of all, he missed Usagi. He missed her cute giggle whenever she read a funny manga, her off-pitched singing in the shower every morning, the way she pouted whenever she didn't get her way… He missed everything about her.

Someone knocked on the front door, causing his heart to pound rapidly against his chest in hope that the visitor was Usagi, ready to forgive him for what he did. Mamoru quickly jumped up from his desk and ran to the front door, almost tripping over a pillow laying carelessly in the middle of the room.

"Usako, I missed you…"

The door opened as his words trailed off, revealing the tall figure of the mysterious guardian of time standing outside his apartment. A momentary smile vanished from his face once he realized it was Setsuna, not Usagi at the door. Sensing his disappointment, Setsuna turned to leave.

"I-I shouldn't have come," she said. "I'm probably the last person you want to see right now. Goodbye."

Mamoru reached for her arm, gently pulling her inside the apartment. "No, that's okay, Setsuna-san," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't exactly make you feel welcome. I was just hoping…"

"…I was Usagi."

He nodded, and Setsuna gave him an understanding smile. Mamoru really did love Usagi with all his heart. After a few moments of silence, the two of them took a seat on the couch.

"By the way, happy birthday, Setsuna-san," he said, suddenly remembering it was the twenty-ninth. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything…"

The guardian of time blushed, turning away from her former lover's gaze. "Actually, you kind of did, Mamoru-san," she said softly, twirling a strand of her long green hair around her finger. "That's why I'm here."

Mamoru gave Setsuna a strange look. He had no idea what she was talking about. "What is it?"

Not sure how to break the news, Setsuna bit down on her bottom lip. How did one tell a man that she was carrying his child? She finally decided just to tell him the truth right out. There was no use in sugarcoating the news.

"I'm pregnant, Mamoru-san."

She closed her eyes, afraid to see Mamoru's reaction to the news. He probably hated her for allowing herself to get pregnant. However, she was surprised when he reached over and gently took her hand in his.

"Setsuna-san, look at me," he said, lifting up her chin so that he could look directly into her blood red eyes, which were currently filled with tears.

"I'm sorry…"

He smiled softly, wiping away a tear that rolled down her cheek. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm as much to blame as you are."

"But aren't you upset?"

Mamoru shook his head. "Shocked? Beyond words. Confused? Definitely. But upset? No, not at all."

Feeling a little fidgety, Setsuna jumped up and began pacing around the room, wringing her wrists nervously. "You know this changes everything, don't you?" she declared. "I don't remember any mention of our child in my visions of the future. That can only mean one thing. Destiny has been changed, and I don't know what to think anymore. What are we going to do?"

Mamoru walked over and took her in a comforting hug, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Setsuna-san," he promised, kissing the top of her head.

"I hope you're right."

Oh, how she desperately hoped he was right...


	14. Act 13 Truth

Act Thirteen - Truth

Blood red lips curled up into an evil smile as Jade stared into the mystical mirror standing in the corner of her bedroom. Everything was going evem better than she expected. Now that a child was conceived, Serenity would be completely devastated when she learned the news, for how could she ever forgive Endymion for fathering a child with another woman? Hate would fill her heart, making her vulnerable and helpless. Then, at her weakest moment, they would attack the silly little princess and steal the Silver Crystal, bringing forth the resurrection of the once great and powerful Dark Kingdom, her mother's kingdom and her birthright. Jade could practically taste the victory in her mouth. Revenge would indeed be sweet.

"Antaeus, I command you come forth!" she demanded, pointing toward the center of the room. A beam of black lightning emitted from her fingertip, and a few seconds later, the figure of a tall, muscular man appeared before her, his head almost brushing against the ceiling. Antaeus quickly kneeled before Jade and bowed his head in respect.

"You called, my queen?"

"Yes, Antaeus."

The darkly beautiful queen walked over to the full length mirror and chanted a short spell. The surface of the mirror changed until Antaeus could no longer see his reflection, but an image of two women. One was tall and smartly dressed with long hunter green hair and garnet-colored eyes that popped out against the darkness of her olive skin. The other girl was shorter, but just a beautiful as the first. She had sparkling blue eyes and silky blonde hair pulled back in an unusual hairstyle resembling meatballs. Jade pointed to the mirror.

"I want you to keep an eye on these two women, especially the blonde. In civilian form, her name is Tsukino Usagi, and she lives at the Juuban Apartment Complex. It shouldn't be hard to locate her. During the next couple of days, I expect the green-haired woman, one Meioh Setsuna, to visit Tsukino at the apartment and deliver some shocking news. You will wait until Meioh has left the building, then attack the blonde, also known as Sailor Moon, making sure to steal her transformation brooch and kill the little pest before her nosy little Sailor buddies of her make an appearance. However, if you do happen to run into some trouble with the Sailor Soldiers, I want them all dead, including the caped crusader. After you are done, bring the crystal, along with the bodies of the princess and her prince to me. Capisce?"

The muscle man stood up and bowed slightly. "Consider it done, my queen."

Jade waved her loyal subject away, watching Antaeus disappear in a cloud of smoke. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

Michiru watched as tiny droplets of rain dripped down the length of the window pane, a frown on her face. The last few days had brought such nasty weather lately. It sent a chill down the elegant musician's spine. She could feel it, that overwhelming sense of dread and despair, washing over her. The seas were churning.

A few minutes later, a pair of familiar arms wrapped around her tiny waist, her lover's chin resting on her shoulder. Normally being in Haruka's arms made her feel relaxed and at peace, but this time Michiru couldn't conceal her tenseness. Haruka sighed.

"You feel it too, don't you?" the tomboy asked. "That something big is going to happen and soon."

The aqua-haired beauty slowly nodded her head, then held up her talisman, the Aqua Mirror, so that they could both look into the smooth clear surface. "I've been trying to get a reading on the strange feeling I've been having," Michiru admitted, "but something keeps clouding the mirror's reflection. It worries me, Haruka. I think it might have something to do with Setsuna. She's been acting so strangely lately, ever since her birthday a few days ago."

"I know, Michiru." Haruka lightly kissed the top of Michiru's head. "To be truthful, she hasn't really been herself at all these past few weeks. I wonder what's going on. Hotaru-chan said that Setsuna dropped by the hospital on her birthday. Do you think she may be sick or something?"

"I hope not."

The couple continued staring out at the dismal weather in quiet contemplation, not even noticing when the front door opened and their adopted daughter came in, dripping wet from head to toe despite wearing a purple raincoat over her candy striper's uniform. Hotaru took off her coat and dropped her umbrella in the bin beside the door before walking into the living room.

"Setsuna-mama, Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, I'm home from the hospital…"

Her voice trailed off as she noticed her parents' worried faces as they looked out the window. That could only mean one thing. Something was wrong. Hotaru quietly walked over to the two lovers and coughed lightly, finally getting their attention.

"Hotaru-chan, you're home," Michiru said, gently wiggling out of Haruka's embrace. "We didn't hear you come in. How was work?"

The raven-haired teen shrugged her shoulders in indifference. "It was okay, I guess," she answered. "What's going on in here? You two looked so serious. Is Setsuna okay?"

"As far as we know, Setsuna's fine, but…"

Haruka didn't have to finish her thought. They all knew what she was referring to, Setsuna's secretive behavior during the last few days. The time guardian had barely spoken a word to any of them ever since she came back from wherever she went after lunch on her birthday. It seemed to be like she was avoiding them for some reason. In fact, Setsuna never came home after work last night. They assumed she decided to sleep in her office, but nobody would answer the phone when they called.

Worried about her mother, Hotaru plopped down in Haruka's favorite armchair as her other two parents took a seat beside each other on the couch. Two purple eyes darkened. "I suppose Setsuna still hasn't come home yet," Hotaru said, already knowing the statement was true.

Michiru shook her head. "No, she's not, and she hasn't even called. This isn't like her at all. Maybe we should call the boutique again…"

"That won't be necessary, Michiru," a familiar voice said.

The three women looked up, surprised to see the tall shadowed figure of a woman standing in the doorway. She had slipped in so quietly that nobody noticed.

Once she had everyone's attention, the visitor slowly walked into the room, revealing herself to be their missing family member. Hotaru immediately jumped up, placing her hands on her hips as she proceeded to scold her beloved mother.

"Meioh Setsuna, where in the name of Pluto have you been? We've all been worried sick about you. Don't you know it's not right just take off and disappear without telling us where you were going? What if something important happened and we needed to contact you? The least you could have done was call us and let us know you were alright! I thought something horrible had happened to you…"

The pretty teen choked back on the tears of anger and relief that threatened to fall from her eyes as Michiru stood up and took her upset daughter in her arms. On the couch, Haruka crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the green-haired woman. "She's right, you know," the tomboy stated. "We've all been worried about you, Setsuna, and it's not just because of last night, either. What's going on with you?"

Setsuna sat down on the love seat, her head bowed in shame. "I'm sorry, everyone," she said softly. "I didn't mean to upset you, but I just felt like I needed some time to myself to think about…some things. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I'm sorry…"

Hotaru gently pushed Michiru away and kneeled on the floor in front of Setsuna. She took her mother's hands in her own, surprised that they were actually shaking. Purple eyes met red as Setsuna raised her head. "Setsuna-mama, what things? Does this have something to do with why you were at the hospital on your birthday? Stop keeping secrets from us. We're your family. We love you, and we want to help you through whatever it is that's been bothering you. Just tell us!"

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Setsuna pulled a hand away from Hotaru and rested it gently on her stomach. This was it. The time had come to tell her family the truth. It wasn't right to keep them in the dark any longer. They needed to know.

"I'm pregnant."

Michiru was the first to recover from the shock of the news, her face shifting from surprise to disbelief to joy in a matter of moments. The aqua-haired musician jumped up from her seat beside Haruka and ran over to embrace her friend in a tight hug. Hotaru joined her a few seconds later.

"Setsuna! That's wonderful news!" Michiru exclaimed. "Why were you keeping this from us?"

"I don't know. I guess… I don't know."

Hotaru smiled brightly and wiped away tears of happiness as she gave her mother another hug. "So, that's why you were at the hospital," she said. "I'm so glad. I thought you were sick with some horrible disease, but I should have figured it out when I saw you looking in the nursery. I wish Ami-chan would have told me instead of letting me drive myself crazy with worry."

A tiny grin appeared on Setsuna's face as she gently tousled her daughter's raven hair. They were taking the news better than she thought they would. "Don't blame Ami-chan, Hotaru-chan. I told her not to tell you because I wanted to be the one to break the news to you guys. I'm sorry I caused you to worry about me."

The only person who wasn't joining in their celebration was Haruka. The blonde tomboy sat on the couch, her face still literally frozen in shock. Noticing Haruka's reaction, Michiru came up behind her and rested her hands on her lover's shoulders, her blue eyes playful. She knew exactly what Haruka was thinking: _Another rugrat in the house. Oh, boy._

"Haruka, don't you have something to say to Setsuna?" she asked.

Haruka shook her head in wonder. Who would have thought? Setsuna was the last person she would have suspected to get pregnant. She chuckled. Well, maybe not the last. There was no way on Earth she was ever going to get knocked up unless it was by a miracle of God. Still…

"A baby…" she breathed, letting out the breath that she didn't realize she was holding. Then her blue-green eyes widened in surprise once again as another thought hit her. "Is the baby… I mean…Is Yasashiku-kun…?"

The guardian of time quickly shook her head, putting that idea to rest right then and there. "No, Yasashiku-kun is not the father. Don't worry, Haruka. Your buddy can still keep on playing the role of the swinging bachelor."

"Then, who is? Who is the father of the baby, Setsuna?"

A light blush spread across her face as the garnet-eyed woman turned away from the questioning stares of her unusual family. "It's nobody," she finally answered.

"So, you're saying this was an immaculate conception?" Haruka quipped, rolling her eyes. The action earned her a slap on the back of the head by Michiru.

Setsuna bit her lip, wondering just how she was going to explain. Both she and Mamoru decided that it would be best that nobody except for them and Usagi to know the truth about the child's conception, feeling that it would only cause more rifts between the Sailor Soldiers, but she still hadn't come up with a proper cover story to explain her unexpected pregnancy. Sensing her reluctance to reveal the baby's father, Hotaru simply squeezed her hand.

"It's okay, Setsuna-mama," she said. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want. Right?"

Her other two parents nodded their heads, and Setsuna gave them each a grateful smile. They really were the best family she could have ever wished for. She should have known that they would support her through this.

Now sitting beside Haruka on the couch once again, Michiru reached over and took her lover's hand, that mischievous twinkle Haruka knew so well in her beautiful blue eyes. Even before she could open her mouth, the tomboy was already shaking her head, and Hotaru and Setsuna were snickering. "No, Michiru."

"But Haruka…"

"I said no. We are not having a baby, and that's final."

"But…"

In an unusual fit of childishness worthy of their princess, the normally elegant and mature violinist crossed her arms and sulked, provoking laughter all around. "You're so meeeaaaan, Haruka!"

It was classic Usagi, but their laughter quickly died down when Haruka felt a chill run down her spine. A quick glance into her partner's eyes revealed Michiru felt the exact same thing. The threat they felt earlier was still there, this time stronger than before.

But what was it? And how was Setsuna involved?

* * *

Outside the Juuban Apartment complex a few hours later, Setsuna paced, nervously biting on of her long, crimson fingertips. Her fifty dollar manicure was ruined, but that was the least of the time guardian's worries right now, for she had finally decided to tell Usagi about the baby. Though her family handled the news fairly well, she knew it wouldn't be as easy with her princess. If Usagi didn't hate her before, then the news that she was pregnant with Mamoru's child would surely do the trick.

_Maybe I shouldn't be doing this,_ she thought to herself as she took a seat on a nearby bench. Maybe it would be better if she just went away for a while, at least until after the baby was born. Then she could put the child up for adoption, and Usagi would never have to know, giving the prince and princess the chance to reconcile. But deep in her heart, she knew that was the coward's way out, and Meioh Setsuna was anything but a coward. So, she took a deep breath and finally entered the building.

Usagi's apartment was located on the ground floor, at the end of a long and narrow hallway. As she slowly walked down the corridor, Setsuna couldn't help feeling like some criminal on death row being lead to the execution chamber. She even started to turn back a couple of times and leave, but grudgingly continued forward until she reached Usagi's apartment and rang the doorbell with a shaky finger.

There was no answer. Thinking that Usagi might still be asleep, despite the fact that it was already six o'clock in the evening, Setsuna rang the doorbell again. Her finger stayed on the button until she was sure that even the tenants on the top floor heard, but still, Usagi didn't come to the door.

Wondering if maybe she had gone out, Setsuna placed her ear against the door and heard the distinct sounds of a television set. It was obvious that Usagi was home and was just ignoring the doorbell. The time guardian sighed and tried again, determined that she wasn't going to leave until she told Usagi what she needed to say. "Usagi-chan, I know you're in there," she said when the blonde still refused to answer. "Please open the door. It's me, Setsuna. We need to talk."

She held her breath until she finally heard the sound of footsteps walking toward the door. Usagi reluctantly unlocked the door, but hesitated opening it.

"What do you want from me, Setsuna-san?" she asked from the other side of the door, wiping her nose with the handkerchief in her hand. "Haven't you done enough harm already?"

"I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, and I don't blame you one bit, but I want to tell you something before you hear it from someone else. Just please let me in. Ten minutes is all I'm asking, and after that, I can be out of your life forever if that's what you want. Please, Usagi-chan…"

After a couple more seconds of deliberation, Usagi slowly opened the door and showed her guest inside. Setsuna was surprised to see that the blonde was still in her pajamas and appeared to have put on a little bit of weight.

Usagi sat back down on the couch and turned off the TV, but didn't offer the time guardian a seat, so Setsuna continued standing by the door, her heart pounding against her ribcage. The two women were clouded in an uncomfortable silence until Usagi finally turned to face her former friend.

"So, what is it, Setsuna-san?" she asked. "I don't have all day."

Funny, she looked like she had all the time in the world, but Setsuna wisely didn't comment. Instead, she looked around the small, but comfortable, apartment, making sure they were alone. "Is Luna here?"

Usagi shook her head. "She's out with Artemis."

Assured that they were alone, Setsuna took a deep breath and licked her suddenly dry lips. "I know you hate me, Usagi-chan, and I can't say I blame you," she said, her gaze lowered. Usagi remained unemotional. "I won't lie to you. What I'm about to tell you will probably make you hate me more and this is by far the most difficult thing I've ever had to do in my life, but you need to know…"

The blonde waved her hand in a circle motion, urging her to hurry up. "Just get to the point. _Card Captor Sakura_ is going to start in less than ten minutes."

"I'm pregnant. It's Mamoru-san's child."

At first, Usagi didn't say anything, too shocked for words. An unbelievable pain entered her heart, filling her not necessarily with anger, but with sadness -- sadness that the man she used to love, no, still loved, was having a child with another woman. It reminded her of the fact that not only had she lost Mamoru, but she had lost Chibi-Usa as well. She turned away from Setsuna, not wanting her to see the tears in her eyes. "Go away, Setsuna-san," she whispered, afraid that her voice would betray her emotions.

But she didn't go. Instead, the expectant mother sat down beside Usagi on the couch and squeezed a clenched fist. "Usagi-chan, you cannot know how deeply sorry I am," she said sincerely. "We didn't mean for this to happen, but there's something else I have to tell you before I go."

Her princess didn't react, which Setsuna took to be permission to continue. "Mamoru-san loves you, Usagi-san, and he never did stop loving you. Never."

When Usagi didn't say anything, Setsuna sighed and walked to the door, taking one final glance at her princess before leaving the apartment. Once Setsuna left, Usagi released the tears she had fought to hide into her pillow.

_Mamo-chan…_

* * *

Antaeus, dressed in a well-cut business suit, watched Meioh Setsuna exit the building from the comfort of a nearby bench with his dark orange eyes. Finally, it was time for some action. The giant had been growing quite bored of just stalking the two women, especially since Tsukino's day was mostly spent in her apartment, watching TV and eating ice cream, while the other girl did little more than work at her stupid boutique. Even watching paint dry would be more exciting than the lives of his two prey.

But now he would be free to do what he did best: fight. Antaeus was not completely in the dark concerning Sailor Moon's abilities, but in a purely physical battle, he knew he had the upper hand. So, once he was sure no one was watching, he snapped his fingers and teleported inside the building, a confident grin on his face. She didn't have a prayer.

* * *

Usagi still couldn't bring herself to believe it. Setsuna was carrying Mamoru's child. It was like something out of her worse nightmare. How could they do this to her? Her fingers dug deeply into the damp fabric of her pillow as she tried hopelessly to control her emotions, but failing miserably. All she wanted to do was cry.

However, the sudden appearance of a seven foot, well-built man in the middle of her living room startled Usagi from her tears. She gasped loudly, her blue eyes widening noticeably as she stood up._ A youma?!_

"Who are you?" she demanded, slowly backing over to the table against the wall where she knew her brooch was sitting. Though she appeared calm on the surface, inside, her heart was pounding as she fumbled around the desk, knocking things over until she finally put her hands around the heart-shaped brooch. "How did you get in my apartment?"

The man laughed as he ripped off his jacket and flexed his muscles. "I am Antaeus," he replied, introducing himself to the pretty blonde, "the strongest fighter of the Dark Kingdom."

Usagi almost dropped the brooch in her hand in surprise. What was he talking about? She and the others destroyed the Dark Kingdom years ago. Her eyes narrowed. "Liar! You can't be from the Dark Kingdom. Beryl and Metalia are dead!"

There was a look of amusement in Antaeus' orange eyes. She might talk brave, but he didn't fail to notice her shaky knees or ragged breath. "True, my dear Sailor Moon," he said, slowly walking over and lifting her chin so he could better see the fear in her bottomless blue eyes, "but the heir to the kingdom, the beautiful and powerful Queen Jade, lives on."

She gasped once again, but quickly regained her focus. This was no time to worry about Jade, whoever she was. It was time to fight. Lifting her brooch high in the air, she called out the words that had remained silent for so long, MOON ETER-.

However, Antaeus easily knocked the brooch out of Usagi's hand before she finished calling out her transformation phrase, causing her to yelp in pain. She grabbed her injured wrist as she helplessly watched the giant bend over and pick up the small object, examining the golden finish in satisfaction.

"That's mine!" she yelled, kicking him in the shins. Her assault did little good, however. Antaeus put the brooch in the pocket of his pants, then roughly tossed her aside. She collided hard into the table, causing a hand-painted heirloom vase to come crashing on the floor in thousands of tiny pieces. Usagi cringed. Her mother was going to kill her. That is, if the giant didn't beat Ikuko to it.

"No, I believe it's now mine," he said matter-of-factly.

Antaeus then strolled over to her prone body, standing over her with a cocky look in his now blood red eyes. Black lightning crackled between his large, manly hands. She was more pathetic than he thought. This job was going to be a piece of cake. As the blonde tightly shut her eyes, he let out an evil laugh.

"Die, Princess! Die for your sins!"

With those words, he released the fatal attack.

* * *

She felt it, the familiar feeling of danger that had remained dormant for so long, flowing throughout her body. _Where is it coming from?_ she wondered. Setsuna stopped in her tracks and turned back around, looking toward the Juuban Apartment Complex, which she had just left no more than five minutes ago. Immediately, she knew.

Ignoring the curious stares of passing pedestrians, Setsuna broke into a fast sprint toward the building, hoping against hope that she could make it to the apartment in time. Usagi, her beloved princess, was in danger. She sped up noticeably as she ran down the empty first floor corridor, her heartbeat racing.

_Please, Princess, be okay!_ Setsuna prayed as she called out her transformation phrase.

PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER!

* * *

Realizing that it would be useless to put up a fight against Antaeus in her civilian form, Usagi tightly closed her beautiful blue eyes and braced herself for the oncoming attack. What did it matter anyway? She might as well be dead, for there was nothing left to live for. In reality, she had already died the day she found Mamoru in Setsuna's embrace. Antaeus would only kill her body. Her soul was already dead.

So, she laid there still as a statue, welcoming death with open arms. But death did not come as she expected. Before the giant's attack reached her body, Usagi heard a low voice whisper a familiar battle phrase, coming from the direction of the open door, and she knew a purple sphere of energy had blasted forth against her enemy's black lightning.

The giant let out a loud growl of pain and anger toward the unexpected visitor as Usagi slowly opened her eyes and focused on Sailor Pluto's tall figure, standing in the doorway of the apartment. She never thought she would be so grateful to see Mamoru's lover again. Carefully, the blonde pulled herself from off the floor, using the table for support. "Pluto, you came…" she whispered, letting out a small moan of pain.

Pluto bowed. "Of course, I did, my princess. It is my sworn duty to protect you, no matter what. Nothing will ever change that."

By that time, Antaeus had recovered from Pluto's attack and sent another blast of dark lightning toward the tall woman, hitting her full force. Usagi screamed, tears streaking down her face, as Pluto fell to the ground. She ran toward the motionless body, not caring that she was putting herself in danger, and shook Pluto until she finally opened her dark red eyes.

"Usagi-chanan…"

The blonde wiped her arm across her watery eyes. "Pluto, just get out of here," she pleaded as the soldier carefully sat up. "Don't worry about me. You have to protect the baby…Mamoru-san's child. It's too dangerous!"

Pluto shook her head as she shakily stood up. "It'll be okay… It's my duty…"

Antaeus laughed at the sight, preparing to send another lightning attack toward the green-haired woman. He had to admit that the Sailor Soldier was nothing but determined to save the life of her princess. It was admirable, in a way, but also incredibly stupid. One more hit, and Sailor Pluto would undoubtedly be dead. With a loud battle cry, the giant sent the blast toward the tall soldier, but instead of hitting the target, it rammed into Usagi, who had jumped in front of the oncoming attack. The blonde collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

"Usagi-chan!" Pluto screamed. She positioned herself between Antaeus and Usagi's motionless body, holding up her Time Key toward the giant. Her crimson eyes were filled with determination as Antaeus prepared another attack.

"Get out of the way, Pluto!" he ordered. "I'll deal with you after I kill your little friend."

"Never!" she shouted. "I won't let you hurt her. Take me instead."

The giant rubbed his chin as if he was seriously considering Pluto's offer, but then laughed. "Forget it! I have my orders. Now get out of the way and let me finish my job."

"I'm not leaving. If you want to get to Usagi-chan, you'll have to kill me first!"

"That can be arranged."

Pluto watched the black lightning between his hands grow stronger, and she prepared to attack, knowing there was a very good chance that she wouldn't survive another assault. She was still too weak from the first one. Still, she firmly stood her ground. Silently, the two opponents stared at each other in a battle of wills, neither willing to admit defeat, but neither wanting to make the first move. There was no telling how long they would have stood there if it wasn't for the appearance of a single red rose thrown between them.

_A red rose?_ Setsuna gasped, then looked over at the open door, a feeling of relief washing over her.

"Blessed by the planet of water, I am the soldier of wisdom, Sailor Mercury!"

"Blessed by the planet of fire, I am the soldier of war, Sailor Mars!"

"Blessed by the planet of thunder, I am the soldier of protection, Sailor Jupiter!"

"Blessed by the planet of beauty, I am the soldier of love, Sailor Venus!"

"And I am Tuxedo Kamen!"

"The Pretty-Suited Sailor Soldiers are here!"


	15. Act 14 A Giant Problem

Act Fourteen - A Giant Problem

The sight of the four guardian soldiers and Tuxedo Kamen brought Setsuna immense relief. Unable to stand any longer, she slid to the ground as Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen ran over to check on both her and Usagi's condition. The time guardian could only vaguely hear the blue-haired doctor's mild scolds as she slipped in and out of consciousness in Mercury's arms. What was happening to her?

Meanwhile, the remaining three soldiers were busy battling the giant. Jupiter, the most athletic of the group, was using her physical prowess and skill in the martial arts to fight, with Mars and Venus providing back up with their attacks, hoping to weaken Antaeus. Unfortunately, he always managed to step out of the way before they could hit. The brunette Amazon cursed under her breath as the giant managed to intercept another one of her punches. He seemed to be getting stronger with every passing minute.

"Give up yet, girls?" Antaeus asked, grinning cockily as he grabbed Jupiter's arm. "Admit defeat and I'll be sure to give you a fast and painless death."

"No deal, Goliath!" she said between clenched teeth.

"The name's Antaeus, and I would seriously urge you to reconsider my offer."

He tightened his grip on Jupiter's arm, bringing tears to her eyes. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much pain he was putting her through, she bit down on her bottom lip, silencing her screams. Luckily, it was just the opportunity Mars needed to launch a sneak attack on the monster.

MARS FLAME SNIPER!

A flaming arrow flew toward Jupiter and Antaeus and stabbed the giant in the arm. He loosened his grip on the soldier of protection, allowing her to easily escape his hold. Using his temporary loss of focus, Jupiter knocked his legs out from underneath him. The giant fell to the floor with a loud thud, causing the ground to shake underneath them, a sensation similar to an earthquake. Then, with a Herculean strength she never thought she had, Jupiter lifted the giant's body in the air.

"Venus! Now!" she ordered, suddenly recalling that in mythology, the giant Antaeus was the son of Gaea who received his colossal strength through his bond with the Earth. Now that he wasn't touching the ground, he should be weak enough to attack.

VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!

The monster screamed in agony before disappearing. Jupiter wasn't sure if the attack was enough to have killed him, considering that usually only Sailor Moon had enough power to destroy a youma, but she was glad he was gone. The three girls then walked over to where Pluto and the princess were to help as three more visitors arrived.

"What the hell happened here?" Uranus breathed to her companions, looking around the wrecked apartment. She knew Usagi would never be mistaken for a neat freak, but this was ridiculous. The soldier of the skies carefully stepped inside, the sound of glass breaking underneath her boots echoing in the silence.

Hearing Uranus enter the apartment, Mars looked up. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she tightly held her princess's hand. Beside her, Tuxedo Kamen was giving the blonde mouth-to-mouth, trying to restart her breathing. "There was a youma attack," she said. "We managed to destroy the monster, but Pluto and Usagi-chan are unconscious."

Sailor Saturn, who was standing behind Neptune and Uranus and therefore didn't have a good view of the disaster, roughly pushed her way between her parents at the news that her other mother and the princess were hurt. It was taking all her willpower not to burst into sobs at the sight of their motionless bodies. Mercury gave her a sympathetic look.

"Saturn, come over here and try to heal Pluto's injuries," she ordered softly, though with authority. "I'm going to go help Tuxedo Kamen with Usagi-chan. The rest of you, go to the kitchen and stay out of the way. Someone may have to call the ambulance if we can't stabilize their condition."

Reluctantly, the rest of the Sailor Soldiers went into the tiny kitchen, though it took both Uranus and Jupiter to drag Mars away from Usagi's side. Once the living room was cleared, Mercury headed over to her prince and princess, leaving Pluto in her daughter's care.

Saturn carefully examined Pluto's body, glad to feel that she still had a pulse and that she seemed to be able to breath on her own. A large area of her torso was burned pretty badly from the lightning attack, but that was easily healed with her powers. Her main concern right now was the baby. Saturn lifted up the short skirt of her mother's fuku and let out a sigh of relief when she saw no evidence of vaginal bleeding. By some miracle, she hadn't miscarried. Yet.

A short time later, a moan escaped Pluto's lips as she slowly regained consciousness. She gave Saturn a small smile when her vision finally got back into focus. "Usagi-chan…" she whispered. "Is she…is she okay?"

A little bit surprised that Pluto's first thought was about Usagi and not her child, Saturn slowly shook her head. "She's still unconscious," the soldier of death and rebirth informed her mother. "But Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen are doing all they can to save her."

Pluto quickly sat up and groaned as the world spun around her as if she were riding on a merry-go-round. Saturn motioned her to lay back down. "Pluto, don't exert yourself."

But she didn't listen. Instead, Pluto slowly crawled over to where Tuxedo Kamen was still trying to revive his one true love. Mercury, who was monitoring the blonde girl's condition on her computer, gave her friend a disapproving look. "I thought I told you not to fight in your condition, Pluto," she said softly so the others couldn't hear. "It was dangerous, both for you and the baby. I'm surprised you haven't miscarried."

The guardian of time opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Tuxedo Kamen's small sigh of relief. After several minutes of mouth-to-mouth, Usagi was finally breathing on her own again. Mercury quickly felt for a pulse and gave them a thumbs up sign. "I think she's going to be okay after she rests for a little while," the doctor replied with a small smile. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama, why don't you take her to the bedroom? The rest of us need to have a talk about what happened."

Gently, Tuxedo Kamen gathered the still unconscious blonde in his arms and lightly kissed her forehead before carrying her to her bedroom. It was plainly obvious to the three girls in the living room that Tuxedo Kamen still loved Usagi very much. Even Mercury, who earlier had been giving him the cold shoulder despite the fact that they were both trying to save Usagi's life, seemed to lose her frosty exterior. No matter what he had done to her, Mamoru still loved her with all his heart and soul.

Wiping away a tear that somehow managed to roll down her cheek, Pluto shakily stood up, using her Time Staff for support. Mercury and Saturn offered to help her over to the couch, but Pluto wouldn't hear of it. She insisted on going to the kitchen to talk about the new enemy with the others.

When the three women entered the tiny combination kitchen and dining room, they found the rest of the Sailor Soldiers detransformed and sitting around the square table in the center of the room, except for Haruka and Michiru, who were sitting next to each other on the counter. They were all eating the ham and cheese sandwiches Makoto made while they waited.

Rei was the first to notice Pluto, Saturn, and Mercury's presence in the room. Her eyes were filled with fear as she jumped up. "Is Usagi okay? Do you need me to call the ambulance?"

The blue-haired doctor shook her head as she helped Pluto sit down in an empty chair beside Minako. "Everything's fine, Rei-chan. She's still unconscious, but Mamoru-san started her breathing again. I think once she wakes up, she'll make a full recovery."

The fiery priestess crossed her arms across her chest, flames of anger burning in her violet eyes, at the mention of Mamoru's name. "I still can't believe he had the nerve to show up here today!" she fumed, clenching her fists. "That jerk has no business being here, acting as if he still cares for Usagi. Why, I ought to march right in there and kick him right in the-"

Mercury pushed Rei back down in her chair before she could finish the threat. "Rei-chan, I know you're angry at Mamoru-san for what he did, but he really does love Usagi-chan. This is no time for revenge. Besides, we have more important things to discuss."

On the counter, Haruka nodded her head and glared at the four Inners. "Mercury's right. And for the first order of business, I want to know why we Outers were not informed of the possibility of a new enemy," the tomboy demanded. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Minako open her mouth to disagree. "And don't even try to deny it. I can see it in each and every one of your faces. You know something about what's been going on around here, and I want a full report NOW!"

There was an uncomfortable silence as each of the Inners suddenly found something more interesting to concentrate on. Mercury was blushing furiously while she typed on her handheld computer. Makoto jumped up to make more sandwiches. Rei began chanting a prayer, and Minako simply twiddled her thumbs, humming softly to herself. Haruka rolled her eyes.

"Come on, guys. We don't have time for these games! Just tell us what you know so we can get to work on a plan."

Three pairs of eyes stared directly at Minako.

"What?" she asked innocently. "Why are you all looking at me?"

Silence.

"Just because I'm the one who suggested we not involve the Outers…"

More silence.

"Fine!" she finally said, giving up. "You see, it goes a little like this…"

* * *

Beside Usagi's bed, Mamoru kept a quiet vigil as the beautiful blonde slept peacefully, a halo of golden hair surrounding her face. He had almost forgotten how angelic she looked when she slept. A small smile tugged at his lips as he gently brushed back a loose strand of hair from her eyes. "Oh, Usako…"

He blinked back tears, suddenly realizing just how close he came to losing her. Forever. If Pluto hadn't gotten to the apartment as fast as she did… Quickly, he pushed that thought aside. He didn't want to think about what could have happened. The important thing was that Usagi was safe. That was all that mattered.

Hesitantly, he reached for Usagi's tiny hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the soft skin. Usagi lightly stirred, but didn't awaken at his touch. He chuckled. Even now, it would take no less than the coming of the Apocalypse to wake the angel from her sleep.

Weaving his fingers through those of the sleeping woman, Mamoru sighed. He was such an idiot. If only there was some way to turn back time to the night of the engagement party. This never would have happened if they hadn't had that huge fight over something as silly as a few thousand dollars. How differently things would have turned out. Usagi would still be living at his apartment, and he might have been able to protect her from the giant. He couldn't help thinking that no matter what he did, he only brought her pain.

"I'm so sorry, Usako," he whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

At the sound of his soft voice, Usagi slowly turned her head toward her former lover and opened her eyes. "Mamoru-san…"

"Yes?"

She let out a tiny moan as she attempted to sit up in bed. Her body felt as if it was slowly and painfully tearing apart at the seems. What happened?

Seeing her difficulty, Mamoru propped a couple of fluffy pillows behind her back, then handed her a glass of water.

"How do you feel, Usagi-san?" he asked, the concern evident in his eyes.

"Horrible," she admitted after taking a large gulp of water. "It feels like every single muscle in my body is on fire. What happened to me? I don't remember."

"You were attacked by a giant. From what I understand, the monster was about to attack Pluto, but you jumped in front of her, taking the hit."

Usagi gasped, her heart in her throat. "Pluto…the baby…did she…"

"You know?" he asked, surprised. When she nodded, he gave her a small, but slightly sad, smile. "No, she didn't miscarry. Pluto's fine."

"I'm glad," she said truthfully as she squeezed his hand. "Congratulations, Papa."

_Papa._ The word sounded strange to him, as if she were referring to some middle-aged yuppie with a beautiful, perfect wife and three rambunctious children. Not him, a twenty-five year old hotshot attorney. On a superficial level, Mamoru knew that in little less than nine months, he was going to be a father, but that fact that Setsuna was pregnant with his child still hadn't completely sunk in. It felt like it was happening to someone else.

"Usagi-san…"

The blonde shook her head and brought a finger to his lips. "It's okay, Mamoru-san. I understand, and I'm happy for you and Setsuna-san. Really I am."

Her words sounded sincere, but the look in Usagi's eyes betrayed her true feelings. She was hurt and confused, and Mamoru couldn't blame her one bit. Heck, even he didn't completely understand everything that had happened over the last few weeks. Was it really so shortly ago that he asked Usagi to be his wife? It seemed like an eternity had passed.

"Believe me when I say that we didn't mean for this to happen," Mamoru said, trying to explain, but Usagi didn't want to hear it. Feeling stronger, she got out of bed and slipped into her slippers. "It was just a big mistake. Everything was a mis-"

"Just forget about it," she said sadly, walking out of the room. Mamoru sighed, then followed her out.

* * *

"So, you're telling us that you discovered that Usagi's engagement ring was cursed by an energy similar to a former enemy and you purposely decided not to tell us?" Haruka asked, her voice growing more hysterical. "Are you four complete idiots?"

Beside her, Michiru shot her lover a look. Haruka was never the most tactful person in the world. "Haruka…temper, temper."

The tomboy banged her fist on the counter, surprising Artemis, who was sitting nearby. He and Luna had arrived shortly after Minako began her explanation and were shocked to hear what happened.

"I think I have good reason to be angry, Michiru," Haruka declared. "Because of their utter stupidity, the princess was almost killed today."

Luna cleared her throat. "To be fair, Haruka-san, the Inners weren't the only ones who came to the decision not to inform you and the others. Artemis and I were also behind this 100."

"Her more than me," the white cat muttered under his breath, earning a rather painful bite on his tail.

"Besides, we didn't have that much to go on, other than the ring," Minako said, trying to defend their actions. "I just didn't think it was necessary for us to tell you guys until we had a better idea of what we were up against. I mean, wouldn't you find it just a little bit suspicious that an enemy we defeated over eight years ago was somehow resurrected?"

"I don't care, Minako!" Haruka shouted. "We should have been informed. We're supposed to be a team, or did you forget that?"

"Oh, now you want to be a team? I can recall a time about six or seven years ago when the word 'team' wasn't even a part of your vocabulary."

"Come on! That is ancient history. I thought that after the whole mess with Pharaoh 90, we agreed to work together."

"That may have been the case, but this is our turf this time. The Dark Kingdom was our enemy, not yours. You know nothing about their goals and strategies, and you have no experience fighting them. We, on the other hand, have fought the Dark Kingdom twice in our lifetimes. Therefore, we have an advantage."

Haruka muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "And managed to get yourselves killed both times," but only Michiru was close enough to hear. The aqua-haired beauty poked the blonde in the ribs as Usagi and Mamoru entered the kitchen. All conversation then immediately ended. Rei jumped up from her seat and ran over to Usagi.

"Usagi, are you okay?" she asked, giving her friend a hug.

"I'm fine, Rei-chan," Usagi replied with a small smile. "Just a little sore. What were you guys arguing about?"

Haruka looked like she was about to start another tirade, but Michiru clamped her mouth shut, allowing Hotaru to explain what happened. "Well, it seems that Luna and the others discovered that your engagement ring was cursed by the Dark Kingdom, but decided not inform the rest of us until today."

"My ring? The Dark Kingdom?"

Usagi felt faint. If it weren't for Rei holding her up, she most likely would have collapsed right there on the kitchen floor. The priestess lead her to the table and helped her into the now vacant chair beside Makoto. By the sink, Ami, now destransformed along with Setsuna, quickly filled up a glass of water and handed it to the shocked princess.

"But how?" she asked once she found her voice again. Usagi looked around the room at the faces of all her friends, hoping against hope that they were just playing some kind of cruel joke on her, but it was obvious that they were quite serious. Luna jumped on the table, a sympathetic look on her face.

"I know this is shocking news, Usagi-chan, but it appears to be true, as evident by the attack today."

Antaeus' words echoed in her mind: _But the heir to the kingdom, the beautiful and powerful Queen Jade, lives on._ At the time, she didn't want to believe it was true, but evidently it was. Beryl's daughter was alive and looking for revenge. That was the only explanation.

"Jade…"

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Who's Jade, Usagi-chan?"

The blonde wasn't even aware that she had said the name aloud. She looked up and saw the others staring at her in expectation.

"During the fight, Antaeus told me that the heir of the Dark Kingdom was still alive and that her name was Jade," Usagi said. "My guess is that she is Beryl's daughter."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Minako couldn't but snicker. Makoto gave her a strange look. "What is so funny, Minako-chan?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what poor fool was so desperate and horny that he would share a bed with that witch. Do you think it might have been one of the generals?"

Artemis rolled his eyes at his mistress's antics. Trust Minako to think about such a silly thing at a time like this. He was about to scold her about taking her duty as leader of the Inner soldiers more seriously, when Ami shut her computer with a satisfied look on her face.

"I think I just figured out where Jade, or whatever her name is, is hiding. I've scanned the entire Tokyo area and managed to pinpoint the location of a place emitting the same type of energy as was found in Usagi's ring. If my hunch is correct, we should find the Dark Kingdom's headquarters inside an old mansion located in the historic part of Azabu, not too far from Mamoru-san's apartment building."

Haruka pumped her fist. "Great! Let's get going."

Usagi's gaze fell on the floor. They still didn't know the worse of what happened. Antaeus had stolen the transformation brooch containing the Silver Crystal, meaning she couldn't transform into Eternal Sailor Moon. How could she fight Jade when she couldn't even transform?

"Usagi-chan? Is something wrong?" Makoto asked.

"My brooch is gone," she said quietly, barely able to get the words out.

The others stared at each other in complete shock, unbelieving of the news."Are you sure, Usagi-chan?" Luna asked. "Maybe you just misplaced it somewhere. It has been quite a long time since you've had to use it. Could it possibly be in the attic of your parents' house? I know you left behind a couple of boxes-"

The blonde shook her head. "No, that's not it, Luna," she said, trying to hold back her tears. "Antaeus stole it from me right before Pluto arrived."

"What?" the black cat exclaimed as she began pacing across the table top. "Oh, boy. This is worse than I originally thought. We have to get that crystal back."

Setsuna, who had remained fairly quiet during the whole discussion, stood up, a determined look on her face. "Luna's right. We have to get the Silver Crystal back as soon as possible. Otherwise, the entire world could be in danger."

Behind her, Ami gently pushed the expectant mother back into her chair. "Setsuna-san, you are not going to fight again," she stated matter-of-factly. "Not in your condition. It was a miracle that you didn't miscarry after the first attack. I just cannot allow you to put your baby…"

Her words trailed off when she realized that the three other Inners were looking at her as if she just told them that humans were actually evolved from horses. It took her a few seconds to get what she just said, then Ami could feel her cheeks warm. It seemed as if Setsuna still hadn't told everyone that she was pregnant. "Oops!" she said, covering her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that, really I didn't. I'm sorry, Setsuna-san. I'm so embarrassed."

The garnet-eyed woman sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay, Ami-chan. They were going to find out sooner or later. I guess now is as good as time as any."

Three pairs of eyes shifted from the red-faced doctor to the guardian of time. At first they didn't say anything, still letting the news sink in, but a few seconds later, Minako and Makoto jumped from their seats and Rei ran over behind Setsuna, embracing their friend in a huge group hug.

* * *

Antaeus dreaded facing Queen Jade. She was not going to be happy with today's events. Not at all. He only hoped that she would be in a generous mood after he presented her with the crystal.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the heart-shaped transformation brooch that he managed to steal from the girl who moonlighted as Sailor Moon. It was the only thing he managed to do right with this mission. The small object in his hand had the power to be either his salvation or his death sentence. Of course, he hoped for the former.

"ANTAEUS!"

Great! The queen was calling him and he still hadn't come up with a good excuse that would save him from Jade's notorious temper. Nevertheless, Antaeus snapped his fingers and teleported to his mistress's bedroom. It wouldn't look good to show up late to her summons.

He found the lovely queen on her large bed, dressed in a lacy, black negligee that left little to the imagination. The giant felt himself get aroused, despite his fear of what was to come. He and Jade were on-again, off-again lovers, and it appeared that she was prepared to reward him handsomely if he was successful in his mission. Antaeus cursed his bad luck as he approached the bed and kneeled.

"You called, my queen?"

Jade smiled seductively as she patted the mattress beside her. Once again cursing his luck, Antaeus slowly arose from his kneeling position and sat down on the bed. The normally distant queen then greeted him with a passionate kiss before asking the question he feared most in the world.

"Were you successful in your mission, my dear Antaeus?"

With shaking hands, he held out Sailor Moon's golden brooch to the beautiful queen. Jade took the brooch, a pleased look on her face. After all this time, the Silver Crystal was finally hers! She kissed him again.

"I knew I could count on you," she purred. "Where did you hide the bodies? I want to see them." Antaeus froze, immediately arousing the queen's suspicions. Playfully, she ran a finger along the outline of one of his biceps, then sharply dug her long fingertips into his skin. The pain brought tears to his eyes. "I asked you a question, Antaeus. Where are the bodies of the prince and princess? You did kill them, did you not?"

"Not exactly…"

Jade's green eyes narrowed as she roughly ran her nails down his arm, leaving a dark trail of black blood. Serenity and Endymion were still alive? She should have known Antaeus couldn't have been trusted to carry out her plan. This was the last time she would let her hormones overpower her better judgment. Without a second thought, she pointed a finger crackling with energy toward her lover, who suddenly didn't look so big and powerful.

"Jade-sama, no. Please don't do this. Give me a second chance. I promise you I will get rid of those Sailor Brats. Think about us, about Damian… Nooooooo!"

She watched the body of the giant crumble to the floor in a pile of ashes, no remorse in her heart. "You big fool!" she spat, before slipping into her robe and heading to her son's room to tell Damian a bedtime story.


	16. Act 15 Together Again

Act Fifteen - Together Again

Thanks to Ami's computer, the Sailor Soldiers easily found the old mansion on the other side of town, the nighttime giving the place an even more sinister appearance. Rei shivered as the group approached the rundown, Gothic-style building. She definitely felt evil forces being emitted from the area. It was the same kind of feeling she used to get whenever she sensed the Dark Kingdom at work. There was no doubt about it. The Dark Kingdom had somehow been resurrected.

"So, this is the place," Haruka commented, leaning against a nearby telephone pole. "Definitely looks the part. It reminds me of the haunted house in that movie we watched a couple of weeks ago, don't you think, Michiru?"

The musician smiled playfully. "Um…I wasn't exactly paying much attention to the movie, if you remember correctly."

"Oh…yeah."

Hotaru rolled her eyes at her adopted parents. If she didn't love them so much, she would be beyond mortified with all the innuendo that passed between Haruka and Michiru, but she was used to it by now. "What exactly is the plan, anyway?" she asked. "I highly doubt that knocking on the door and politely asking Queen Jade to give back the Silver Crystal is going to be effective."

Beside her, Usagi sighed. If only it were that easy. She had absolutely no idea how they were going to be able to defeat Jade when she couldn't even transform into Eternal Sailor Moon. Luna managed to find a replacement for her first locket, which allowed her to transform into Sailor Moon, but with her low level powers, even Sailor Mercury had more firepower. It was only because she insisted on going that the others even consented to bringing her along, much to Rei's and Haruka's dismay.

The black cat sitting on Usagi's shoulders jumped down to the ground and started pacing. It was beginning to become a habit of hers. "Well, it's obvious that the only way we will be able to get inside the mansion is by Sailor Teleport, but with Usagi's powers significantly lowered and Setsuna unable to fight-"

The guardian of time crossed her arms over her chest. "I already told you that I will fight, whether you guys like it or not," she said, interrupting Luna's speech. "It is my duty to protect the princess, and I'm not about to let my pregnancy get in the way of that. Besides, without my powers, there is absolutely no way you all will have enough energy for a teleportation."

"She does have a point," Mamoru admitted. Setsuna gave him a grateful smile. He understood that it was important for her to do this, for her sake, as well as Usagi's.

"Nobody asked for your opinion, Mamoru-baka," the raven-haired priestess spat. Rei didn't care if he had almost single-handedly saved Usagi's life after the attack; in her book, he was still a no-good lying cheater. "Why don't you just go home to your lover and leave the fighting to us? Then we'll have one less person to teleport."

"Rei-chan!" Ami exclaimed. "That comment was way out of line. I'm sure Mamoru-san wants to protect Usagi-chan and the crystal just as much as we do."

Mamoru held up his hands in silent surrender. "It's okay, Ami-chan," he replied. "I suppose I deserved that after what I did."

Feeling sorry for him, Setsuna gave her former lover a sympathetic look, her garnet eyes meeting his sapphires. It really wasn't fair to let Mamoru take all the blame when she was as much as fault as he was. Maybe it would be better if they just confessed everything…

Slowly, Mamoru shook his head. He knew exactly what she was thinking, but this was the way it had to be in order to keep the peace between the Sailor Soldiers. Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru were already upset with the Inners for not telling them about the ring. If they were to learn that Setsuna was carrying his child, there was no doubt in his mind what would happen. The Outers would support Setsuna, while the Inners would stand behind their princess. Disputes then would certainly arise, tearing apart the entire team. It was just too risky.

"Fine, Setsuna-san can fight if she wants, as can Mamoru-san," Luna finally decided, ending the arguments that had broken out between the various members of the group. She wasn't happy about it, but Usagi needed as much help as she could get, even if it was from her cheating ex-fiancé and an expectant mother. Rei huffed and turned around, not even wanting to look at Mamoru. "We don't have time to argue about this. The very fate of the world depends on you getting back the crystal. Now, everybody, call upon your powers and get ready for teleportation."

Slowly, the group formed into a large circle and closed their eyes as the astrological signs of their planets formed on their forehead. The guardian cats sat on the outside, worry written all over their faces. They weren't going because there wasn't enough power, but Luna was concerned for Usagi's safety all the same. She wished with all her heart that she could go.

MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER!  
MARS CRYSTAL POWER!  
JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER!  
VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!  
URANUS CRYSTAL POWER!  
NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER!  
PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER!  
SATURN CRYSTAL POWER!  
GOLDEN CRYSTAL POWER!  
MOON PRISM POWER!  
SAILOR TELEPORT!

In a flash of bright light, the Sailor Soldiers were gone.

* * *

Jade looked down at the group of ten, a scowl on her face. She should have known those Sailor Brats would discover her hideout eventually. Antaeus was such a fool. Why couldn't he have killed those bothersome weeds when he had the chance?

In her hand, the golden finish of Sailor Moon's transformation brooch shone dimly in the pale moonlight. The queen clutched the brooch to her chest protectively. There was no way they were going to take the crystal away from her. She would make sure of that. Nobody would take away her victory.

The queen hurriedly entered Damian's room next door, not even bothering to knock, and turned on the light. The little boy sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. "Mommy? What's going on?"

"Get dressed, Damian," she ordered roughly, yanking the blankets off his bed.

Damian looked out the window. "But it's still nighttime."

"Don't ask questions. Just do what I say."

The boy quickly jumped off his bed and went to his dresser, pulling out a pair of black jeans and a turtleneck. His mother was acting strangely tonight. He didn't like it at all. Quickly, he got dressed, not wanting to upset his mother, and grabbed his favorite toy, a stuffed black cat, from his bed.

By that time, Jade had finished casting a spell, creating a dimensional warp hole through one of the walls. Damian's eyes widened in wonder and horror at the fantastic sight as his mother grabbed his arm. She pulled him toward the warp, despite his resistance, and pushed him through.

"Come on, Damian. We're going home."

* * *

Downstairs, the Sailor Soldiers materialized in the front foyer, surprised to find the place empty. There was absolute dead silence. Sailor Moon felt a chill run down her spine as she looked around the darkly decorated room. This was definitely not what she expected.

Beside her, Mercury pulled out her mini-computer as the others slowly broke apart from their circle, investigating the area for possible youma. Mars and Uranus stayed near the princess, their attacks ready in case they were needed.

"Hello?" Venus called out. "Is anybody here?"

Jupiter shushed her loudly. "What do you think you're doing, Venus? Do you want Jade to know we're here?"

"No, but I don't think anybody's here," she replied, walking up the first two steps of a flight of stairs. "It's too quiet."

"So, Jade's just disappeared? That's just great."

Mercury came up behind him, a worried look on her face. "I'm afraid Venus is correct. I just did a thermal detection scan over the whole house, and other than us, nobody's here."

"Now, what are we going to do?"

The blue-haired soldier sighed as she typed a command into the computer. "I'm not sure, Jupiter, but there has to be some logical explanation."

Across the room, Pluto suddenly paused. Something didn't feel right. She held up the Time Staff and closed her eyes, allowing her access to the realm of time and space. A few seconds later, the Garnet Orb on top began glowing a bright red. It was just as she suspected.

"There's been a disruption in the time-space continuum," she announced. "Somebody has just used a space warp. Mercury, perform a dimensional scan on the house and check for a disturbance."

"Right." A few seconds later, Mercury snapped shut her computer and sent it back into null-space. "Pluto is correct. The computer detects a dimensional warp located on the second floor. It is set to close in about fifteen minutes, so we better find it soon or we may never be able to get the crystal back from Jade."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Uranus said, cracking her knuckles. "Santa Claus? Let's get upstairs and find that witch."

* * *

The team broke up into three groups when they reached the top of the stairs, deciding it would be faster to locate the warp if they separated. There were many rooms on the second floor, doors lining up one after the other down the three separate corridors, making it illogical for them all to go through each of the rooms one by one. There wasn't enough time.

After a few seconds of discussion and debate, it was decided that Sailor Moon, Mars, Uranus, and Neptune would continue walking straight down the longest hall. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn decided to take the left corridor, leaving Mercury, Tuxedo Kamen, and Pluto to explore the one on the right. They agreed to call each other on their communicators when one of the groups found the warp before separating.

Pluto's group turned right and began the long trek down the dark hallway. Mercury, with her computer in hand, took the lead, allowing the former lovers to talk in relative privacy. The green-haired guardian of time glanced sideways at her tuxedo-clad companion, a small smile on her face.

"Thank you for sticking up for me out there," she said in a low tone so that the blue-haired warrior in front of them couldn't hear. "I really appreciate it."

Tuxedo Kamen returned the smile, although there was a look of sadness in his eyes. "It was nothing. I'm sure you probably could have convinced the others to let you fight eventually."

"Well, I'm still grateful. I don't know what I would have done if I had to stay with Luna and Artemis, knowing that Usagi-chan was in danger. I have to protect her, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. It is my duty and my life. I couldn't just turn on her in this time of need, no matter what the circumstances are."

He nodded slightly, understanding what Pluto was saying. It was exactly the way he felt. Though he and Usagi were no longer together, he still loved her very much and would risk his life to protect her. They shared a special bond with each other, one impossible to break. Even if they were no longer lovers, Tuxedo Kamen knew he would always be there to protect her.

Ahead of them, Mercury stopped in her tracks. "We'll probably get through this faster if we split up," she said. "I'll take the left side of the hallway. You two take the right. Okay?"

The other two nodded their agreement as the girl opened the first door on the left and peeked inside. Pluto then took the first door on the right, while Tuxedo Kamen checked out the adjoining room.

They continued the pattern for a few minutes, seemingly getting nowhere. Pluto sighed as she turned the knob of the second to last door on the right, hoping that they would find the warp soon before it closed up. They didn't have many other options left. Saturn's group had already checked in with the others, unable to find the warp down the left corridor. That left only the this room and the one next door, plus the handful of rooms down the center hall. If the warp wasn't in one of them, they would have no way to find Jade and get back the Silver Crystal.

Entering the room, Pluto was surprised to see that it appeared to be the bedroom of a little boy. While the other rooms were immaculately neat and decorated with a decidedly 17th century French touch, this one actually looked lived in. There were _Pokemon_ posters hanging on the walls, toy trucks on the floor, and dirty clothes spilling out of the large hamper in the corner. Even the racecar style bed was unmade, as if its owner had just woken up after a good night's sleep.

"Who lives here?" the time guardian mused to herself has she picked up a cute Pikachu plush toy and tossed it back on the bed.

A few seconds later, Tuxedo Kamen popped his head inside. "Pluto, Mercury, and I are finished. Did you find anything…?"

His question lingered in the air unanswered once he walked inside and looked around the strange sight around them. "A kid's room?"

"Apparently," Pluto said, leaning against one of the walls. Much to her surprise, she found herself falling backwards into the seemingly solid foundation. If Tuxedo Kamen hadn't been there to grab her, she would have certainly been sucked into the vortex.

Her red eyes widened as he gently pulled her away from the wall. It looked like they finally found the dimensional warp. Pluto immediately pulled out her wrist communicator, calling the other Sailor Soldiers.

"Girls, we found it."

* * *

Mercury, of course, was the first to arrive a few seconds later. By that time, the vortex had completely materialized, making it easy to spot. The soldier of wisdom, always on the quest for knowledge, pulled out her handy little computer and began analyzing the strange appearance while they waited for the others to appear. She had always wanted to study one of these dimensional warps villains were so fond of using.

Shortly after, the rest of the Sailor Soldiers crowded into the room, amazed by the sight. Venus cautiously put her arm though the warp, alarmed to discover that it felt like her entire hand was disintegrating. She quickly pulled it out again and jumped back. "Do you think that this is a good idea?" she asked dubiously.

Pluto couldn't help but hide a small smile. "It's perfectly safe, Venus. The idea behind a dimensional warp is the same as the Sailor Teleport, only the vortex is less specialized in that most people can use it without any problems. It creates havoc on the time-space continuum, but other than that, physically harmless."

"Well, then, I guess we should get going before the warp closes up," Sailor Moon said in a somewhat shaky voice. Even with Pluto's assurances, it was obvious that the princess wasn't happy with the idea. However, she quickly pushed back her fear, closed her eyes, and walked through the wall, the others following her example a few seconds later.

A short time later, they found themselves on a cold barren planet somewhere in deep space. Other than a forbidding castle looming on the horizon, it appeared the tiny world was uninhibited. Using her computer, Mercury pinpointed their location as the planet Hades in the Andromeda Galaxy.

"Hades, huh?" Uranus commented. "They sure knew what they were talking about when they named this place. It certainly is a hellhole."

Mars shivered, but it wasn't from the extreme cold. An evil aura surrounded the area, stronger than she ever felt before in her life. It was as if the entire planet was permeated with negative energy. "You sure got that right, Uranus," she agreed. "I guess that's Jade's castle up ahead. Should we check it out?"

The princess nodded her head as she stepped forward, heading toward the rundown palace. Her hands were shaking, but she clenched them into tight fists so the others wouldn't notice. No matter what, she had to be brave. She could do this. All she had to do was believe in herself. The others began silently following her until they reached a wide moat surrounding the castle.

Several of the girls covered their noses and gagged from the pungent smell arising from the dark, murky waters. It smelled like a cross between rotten eggs and dirty diapers. Pluto clutched her stomach, feeling a wave of nausea coming over her, although she didn't know whether it was from the odious smell or her pregnancy.

"Not exactly the French Riviera, is it?" Neptune said, holding a lace handkerchief to her nose. "We aren't going to swim across, are we?"

Her partner shook her head, pointing to some object twenty feet away. "I think that's a raft over there. We can use that to ferry across the River of Stink."

Mercury pulled a test tube out of null-space and bent down to fill it with a sample of the foul water as Tuxedo Kamen and Uranus ran over to a nearby tree to untie the abandoned raft. By the time they finished dragging the raft over, the genius had finished her analysis.

"Well, it appears that there's nothing particularly harmful about the water," she informed the others. "It's just normal H2O combined with some kind of substance to give it a blackish appearance. We could safely swim across if needed, but all in all, I'm glad Uranus spotted the raft. Like Neptune said, I'd rather not swim across if I didn't have to."

So, the group of ten piled on the small makeshift raft and started to slowly row across the murky waters, making sure that nobody would fall off. Uranus and Jupiter were paddling, using Saturn's Silence Glaive and Pluto's Time staff as oars, much to their respective owners' consternation. That was definitely not what they were intended to do, but in a pitch, the sacred weapons worked just as well. Even Neptune pulled her out her Aqua Mirror to help.

Things were going smoothly until they reached about halfway across the river. The smooth waters began to move ever so slightly, almost causing Jupiter to lose her balance. Those sitting on the raft grabbed onto each other so that they wouldn't fall in, as someone's deep voice boomed over the slowly building waves.

WELCOME TO THE RIVER STYX! PREPARE TO FACE YOUR DOOM!

Everyone's eyes widened, wondering where the voice was coming from. However, they didn't have much time to think because the raft was suddenly bombarded with speeding rapids, pushing them back to the shore. The paddlers frantically tried fighting against the current, but it was just too strong. "The river is possessed!" Mars cried out as she was splashed by a large wave. She spit out some water and coughed, unintentionally letting go of Sailor Moon's arm.

Another wave crashed against the tiny raft, causing the princess to be knocked off into the freezing cold abyss. Mars screamed as she quickly put her arms in the water, blinding searching for her friend. Beside her, Tuxedo Kamen was already taking off his shoes and cape, preparing to go after her. Despite the others' pleas for him to stay, he jumped into the water after his beloved princess.

"Prince! Princess!" Venus yelled, her voice lost under the sound of a building thunderstorm. "We've got to find them."

Neptune and Mercury, the two strongest swimmers in the group, were already standing up and taking off their shoes, but Uranus grabbed her lover's shoulder, shaking her head. "It's suicide, Neptune!" she shouted. "You won't be able to find them."

"But we can't just let them drown!"

Pluto stared down at the crashing waves, calm despite the chaos surrounding her. "He will find her," she said confidently. "I know he will. Love will save them both."

* * *

Underneath the water, Tuxedo Kamen opened his eyes, searching for his one true love. It was dark and hard to see, but if he concentrated hard enough, he could just make out the shadow of the raft above him. He quickly flipped and began swimming toward the bottom, praying he would find her soon.

_Usako, where are you?_ he thought to himself as he approached the darkness. It was becoming more and more difficult to see, and he knew that he didn't have much time before he would have to come up for air. His lungs were already burning. Tuxedo Kamen judged he could probably hold his breath for about another thirty seconds.

He sped up his pace, finally touching the soggy bottom. It was now impossible to see, but he held out his arms, waving them around blindly. A few seconds later, his left hand became tangled in what he suspected to be one of Sailor Moon's long pigtails. He grabbed the hair and pulled it toward him, finding it attached to a cold female body.

_Usako…_

Tuxedo Kamen wrapped his arm around her slender waist and began swimming toward the surface, his lungs on fire. Once he popped his head above the water, he took a huge gasp of air before glancing down at the unconscious woman in his arms.

He choked back a sob at the sight. Sailor Moon's normally rosy skin was pale, and her lips were turning a frightening shade of blue. He pulled her closer to his body, hoping to warm her with the little body heat he had left.

"Usako, hang on," he whispered, as he began swimming toward the shore. "Hang on a little while longer! We're almost there."

Once they reached the other side, Tuxedo Kamen dragged her motionless body out of the water and searched for a pulse. It was there, but very faint. She didn't have much longer. He immediately began mouth-to-mouth. _Don't you dare leave me, Usako! Not now, not ever. You are my life. Don't you know that? You can't die and leave me here. Please, fight!_ he prayed.

There was no response. In his head, he calculated that she had been without oxygen for about three minutes. The brain couldn't handle being without oxygen for much longer. He continued, tears watering his eyes. _Fight, damn it! Usako, I love you._

Finally, Sailor Moon slowly opened her eyes and coughed up the water that had filled her lungs. Tuxedo Kamen thought his heart would burst from happiness.

"Mamo-chan…" she whispered, weakly raising a hand to wipe away the tears that was running down his smiling face.

"Usako, I love you so much," he said, barely able to get the words out without crying. "I was so afraid I lost you. So very afraid."

"You saved me…"

He nodded his head. "Of course I did. I will always be there to protect you, Usako. Don't you know that?"

Sailor Moon sighed, brushing back a few strands of wet ebony black hair from his face. Her eyes filled with tears as it finally dawned on her that he truly did still love her. He had always loved her, just like Setsuna said.

However, Tuxedo Kamen's eyes darkened at the sight of her tears, suddenly remembering that they were no longer lovers. For just a few moments, he had been able to forget what had happened, but now that he was sure that she was going to be alright, all those feelings of guilt and sadness came running back, even stronger than before. "I've been such a fool these last few weeks," he muttered. "It was like I was under some kind of spell or something. I don't know what came over me…"

The blonde shook her head and pressed a finger to his lips, shocking her prince. There was a small smile on her lovely face. "I love you, too, Mamo-chan. I could never stop loving you."

Hesitantly, the prince of Earth bent down and brushed his lips across those of his princess. "I'm sorry," he said softly, staring into Sailor Moon's beautiful blue eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

Instead of answering him, she pulled him down against her body and gave him the most passionate kiss in his entire life.

* * *

Soon afterward, the rest of the Sailor Soldiers caught up to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, glad to see that the prince and princess were alive and well. They'd finally made it ashore somewhere downriver from the spot where Sailor Moon fell off the raft and Tuxedo Kamen jumped in after her. When they approached the two lovers, they were still wrapped in a passionate embrace.

Pluto felt her eyes water at the sight, but she blinked back her tears, knowing that was the way it was supposed to be. The prince and princess truly did love each other, in contrast to what she and Mamoru had, which was only deep friendship and attraction. It never would have worked out anyway. Still…

Her hand found its way to her flat stomach. Still, for at least one night, she knew what it felt to be in love, and that meant more to her than anything in the entire world. Deep in her heart, she supposed she would always love Mamoru in some way, but she was comforted by the fact that she would always have a part of him in the form of their child.

Once Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen finally realized they had an audience and broke apart, blushing brightly, Mercury pulled out her VR goggles and began scanning the castle for the entrance. She frowned at the results, detecting a very strong protective barrier surrounding entire palace.

"What is the problem, Mercury?" Jupiter asked.

"Well, I found the entrance, but I'm afraid that we won't be able to enter. There's a magical barrier that I'm not sure we can break through."

"We could teleport again."

Saturn shook her head. "Bad idea, Jupiter. It will take up too much of our energy, and we need as much power as possible if we want to defeat Jade."

The guardian of time and space turned toward the palace, an idea forming in her head. It would take up most of her energy, but it just might work. "I can open a dimensional warp," she declared softly.

Mercury did not look happy with the idea. "But, Pluto, won't that deplete most of your power?"

She nodded. "It's true that it will certainly require a lot of energy on my part, but we don't really have much of a choice. It's better for one of us to lose a great amount of power than for everybody to lose much needed energy. You all need to conserve the energy you do have. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Before anybody could convince her not to go through with the plan, Pluto raised the Time Staff high in the air, concentrating all her energy on the polished Garnet Orb sitting on top. The orb began glowing as she began chanting a spell in an unfamiliar language, most likely Plutonian, and a few minutes later, another vortex appeared before them in a bright flash of light. The garnet-eyed woman leaned heavily on her staff, completely drained from opening the warp.

"Pluto, are you okay?" Neptune asked, wrapping an arm around her waist just in case she fainted. Pluto nodded her head as she pulled away and slowly walked toward the vortex. "I'm fine, Neptune. Just a little tired. Let's go."

Though none of the Sailor Soldiers were convinced Pluto was telling the truth, they reluctantly followed the time guardian through the dimensional warp.


	17. Act 16 Kidnapped

Act Sixteen - Kidnapped

On the other side of the warp, the Sailor Soldiers found themselves in a pitch-black hall. Mars, the fire warrior, immediately lit a nearby torch hanging on the wall, letting the soft glow of the flame fall over the vicinity. They could see at the end of the hall that the corridor broke into two different directions. Mercury began analyzing the layout of the castle, while the others kept watch for any surprise youma attacks.

"It appears we are at the beginning of a labyrinth," the soldier of wisdom informed the others after a few minutes of typing commands into her computer.

"A labyrinth? As in a maze?" Sailor Moon asked, not liking the sound of that at all. When Mercury nodded, the blonde sighed heavily, leaning against the comforting form of her lover. "That means we could be stuck in this creepy castle of days!"

"Not necessarily, Sailor Moon. I've been using sonar technology to sketch an approximate map of the area. I think I know the way to Jade's lair, but I'm detecting several areas of negative energy along the way. Everybody, be on alert for possible youma attacks. Follow me."

With those words, the blue-haired warrior took the lead.

* * *

Jade scowled at the reflection shown on the surface of her handheld mirror. Those meddling Sailors actually followed her to Hades and managed to break through one of her strongest barrier spells. They were more powerful than she originally thought, especially the green-haired one who opened the warp.

Sailor Pluto… When the queen finally returned home and discovered that her mother and the kingdom were completely destroyed, the records only showed that there were five Sailor Soldiers: Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. The appearance of the four other soldiers was perplexing, though at first she brushed them off, considering them unimportant. She thought they were only minor annoyances, but it was obvious that she underestimated the mysterious Outers.

Pluto was by far the most interesting. There had been rumors of her existence ever since the time of the Silver Millennium. Jade had only been around five during the first attack on the ancient kingdom, but she still remembered the stories and legends surrounding the solitary guardian of time. She had supposedly been the second most powerful soldier, next to the sleeping Sailor Saturn, with powers over both time and space. The queen never truly believed she existed until she watched the woman with the garnet eyes open the vortex to her castle.

This changed everything. If what she suspected was true, in civilian form, Sailor Pluto went by the name of Meioh Setsuna, the same woman she placed a spell on to lure the prince into bed. That meant that the child she was carrying had the potential to become extremely powerful, the true heir not only to the throne of Earth, but the Gates of Time as well.

Jade's dark green eyes narrowed in thought, her long nails clicking loudly against the arm of her throne. That child could be very useful to her ultimate plan to rule the entire universe. Very useful. Her blood red lips curled up in a devious smile as a plan formed in her mind. She rose from her throne and pointed a finger toward the center of the room.

"Medusa, I command you come forth!" she ordered, a blast of black lightning emitting from her fingertip.

A hideous woman-like creature with serpents for hair and golden claws appeared before her queen and bowed respectively, careful to keep her stone-cold eyes lowered. "Yes, my queen?"

The queen sat back down on her throne. "I want you to locate the Sailor Soldiers somewhere in the labyrinth and kidnap the one they call Sailor Pluto. She'll be easy to recognize with dark green hair, red eyes, and dark skin. Turn her into stone and bring her here, but be careful not to harm her in any way. I have great plans for her."

"Consider it done, my queen."

The youma disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke.

* * *

"It's freezing in here!" Sailor Moon complained, rubbing her bare arms in a desperate attempt to keep to keep warm. Beside her, Tuxedo Kamen slipped off his long black cape and wrapped the warm material around her shivering shoulders.

"Better?"

"Much." The blonde grinned, snuggling close against her lover. It felt so wonderful to be in his arms again.

Ahead of them, the rest of the Sailor Soldiers were following the blue-haired computer genius, allowing the prince and princess to have a little privacy. Pluto looked over her shoulder at the loving couple, a soft smile on her face. She really was happy that the two of them got back together.

Her smile quickly turned into a frown when she suddenly felt a surge of negative energy nearby. From the others' facial expressions, they felt it too. Mercury pulled out her goggles and scanned the area. "Youma located straight ahead. Be careful, everyone."

A few seconds later, the Gorgon appeared before the Sailor Soldiers, her snake-hair hissing seductively. Tuxedo Kamen pulled his lover toward him, holding Sailor Moon close, as the Inners immediately formed a protective circle around the prince and princess. The Outers prepared to attack.

"You won't get the princess, you ugly old hag!" Venus yelled. "We won't allow you."

Surprisingly, Medusa laughed. "Too bad it's not your pathetic little princess I want," she replied. "It's Pluto I'm after."

The guardian of time loosened the grip on her Time Staff at the sound of her name and looked straight at the woman. "Me?" she asked.

Saturn stepped in front of her adopted mother and spun the Silence Glaive in her hands, eventually pointing the sharp blade toward the youma who threatened Pluto's life. "You're not getting anyone without a fight," the teen growled, betraying her normal polite persona. Her dark purple eyes were almost the color of midnight. "How dare you threaten the life of a woman with child!"

"Get out of the way, you annoying little pipsqueak! I don't have time to play your silly little games," Medusa ordered, sending an attack toward the two soldiers.

Saturn quickly attempted to put up a Silence Wall to shield them from the on-coming attack, but she was too late. The ball of energy smashed into the soldier of silence, violently slamming her against the concrete wall. Uranus and Neptune ran over to their daughter as Pluto, her heart filled with hatred for the youma who hurt the girl she considered her own, gathered most of her remaining energy into the red ball at the top of the Time Staff.

DEAD -

"Pluto, watch out!" Neptune screamed at the top of her lungs.

She heard Neptune's warning, but it came too late. Medusa finally lifted her stony gaze from the ground, her gray eyes staring into the garnet eyes of her opponent. Pluto felt herself suddenly freeze into place. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move. Medusa continued to laugh maliciously as her body slowly became petrified rock right before the others' eyes.

"Pluto!"

Sailor Moon broke from her protective barrier, despite the Inners' pleas to stay put, and grabbed her tiara. The golden band transformed into a glowing disc in her hand. Though it had been years since she used her most basic attack, it still worked. Concentrating all her power on the tiara, she threw the disc toward Medusa, praying it would be strong enough to defeat her. MOON TIARA ACTION!

It was not. One look from those cold gray eyes and the tiara turned into stone, breaking to a million tiny little pieces as it smashed into the coldcement floor. Sailor Moon could only stand in shock as her only weapon was destroyed. Now, what was she going to do? She was completely powerless.

JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!

MERCURY AQUA MIRAGE!

MARS FLAME SNIPER!

VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!

The Inners combined their respective attacks together into one large energy ball, but much like what happened to their leader's tiara, Medusa petrified the attacks, allowing them to harmlessly fall on the ground.

"What are we going to do?" Venus asked. "Our attacks won't work on her. We have to think of something."

Neptune looked over at her partner, who winked. No words were spoken, but both knew exactly what the other was thinking. The ocean warrior then pulled out her Aqua Mirror and turned toward the hideous creature, careful not to meet the creature's gaze.

Medusa shook her head in minor amusement. "You girls don't give up, do you? Well, I'll be happy to let you join your little friend over there in a concrete prison."

Neptune cockily tossed her aqua green tresses over her shoulder. "I'd like to see you try. Give me your best shot, youma!"

Never one to refuse a challenge, Medusa lifted her gaze from the floor once again, focusing her attention on Neptune. A beam of black light shot from the monster's eyes, and Sailor Moon, not understanding what she was doing, cried out. However, just before the beam could hit her, Neptune held up her mirror right in front of her face.

The beam of dark light harmlessly bounced off the smooth surface of the mirror and headed straight toward the shocked monster, who wasn't able to get out of the way of the oncoming attack. With one final scream, Medusa's body became solid rock.

Uranus then unsheathed her Space Sword, and with one mighty swipe, chopped off the stoned Gorgon's head, just in case there was any doubt she wasn't dead. Seconds later, the petrified remains crumbled into a pile of sand.

"Good work, Neptune," her partner said, grinning.

"You, too."

With a little bit of her arrogance shining through, the soldier of the skies turned around to face the impressed Inners and raised an eyebrow. "And you four didn't want us to tag along. I think you owe us an apology and a thank you for saving your butts out there."

"Don't hold your breath," Mars retorted, rolling her eyes as she walked toward the statue of Pluto. "Besides, we have more important things to worry about, like how are we going to change Pluto back?"

Mercury began analyzing the statue with her computer. "This doesn't look good," she replied sadly, frowning at the results. "Usually when a youma is killed, any attacks still in affect wear off."

"You mean Pluto could stay like this forever?" Saturn, who had recovered from her injuries, asked. There were tears of sadness in the teen's violet eyes as Mercury confirmed her fears.

Despite Uranus' and Neptune's attempts to hold her back, Saturn ran over to her mother's statue, throwing her arms around Pluto's waist. It couldn't be true! There had to be some way to turn her back.

"Setsuna-mama…"

Suddenly, the stone structure began glowing a bright fluorescent green light. Saturn released her grasp on the statue and took a few steps backward, hoping against hope that Pluto was returning back to normal. However, in the blink of an eye, the statue was gone. Her daughter held back a sob as Neptune pulled her into a comforting hug.

* * *

The guardian of time opened her eyes a few minutes later, surprised to find herself in a dark prison cell. Where was she? Where were the others?Carefully, she stood up, leaning against her Time Staff for support. Whatever happened must have drained most of her energy. She could barely move a muscle without feeling as if she had just run the Boston Marathon. Pluto groaned, feeling herself becoming light-headed and nauseous.

"This is not the time for morning sickness, little one," she whispered to herself, rubbing her belly.

Unable to stand up much longer, Pluto allowed herself to collapse on a tiny bench nearby. She curled her body into a tight ball, fighting the urge to hurl.

After a few moments, the wave of nausea passed, and Pluto found the strength to sit back up again against the cold cement wall. She still felt a little light-headed, but was able to focus on her new surroundings, not that there was much to see. The tiny room was completely bare except for the bench and a naked light bulb, swinging above her in an invisible breeze. "Where am I?" Pluto asked herself aloud. "Why am I here?"

Slowly, visions of the battle with Medusa filtered into her mind. She remembered everything up to being turned into stone by the hideous Gorgon's freezing gaze. After that, though, it was a complete blank. She must have been captured, but where were the others? Were they alright?

The sound of footsteps and two men's voices broke her away from her thoughts, causing her heart to pound wildly against her rib cage in apprehension. Pluto grabbed her Time Staff, which she had leaned up against the wall, and held it tightly in her grasp, prepared to attack if necessary. Outside her prison cell, one of the men pulled out what sounded like a ring of keys and unlocked the door.

"The Queen will see you now," the blond man with the keys said in a bored monotone as the door opened.

Pluto glanced up, but didn't move from the bench. "Queen who?"

"Queen who?!" the other man exclaimed, chuckling at the question. He had dark hair and was quite a bit shorter and heavier than his companion. "Queen Jade, the beautiful ruler of the Dark Kingdom, that's who! Now get off your lazy bum and come with us."

The prisoner shook her head, too weak to move. "I can't…"

"Well, then we'll force you!"

The fat man lost his jovial appearance as he roughly grabbed Pluto's arm and pulled her off the bench. She yelped in pain, which only encouraged him more. He tightened his grip on her arm and pushed Pluto forward, yelling at her when she collapsed on the floor. "Get up, you bitch!"

"I can't!"

The anger evident in his coal black eyes, the man held up his hand to strike her across the face. However, before he could hit her, the other man grabbed his arm. "Lucifer, remember the queen's orders," the blond said. "She is not to be harmed."

Pluto could have kissed the guard as Lucifer slowly lowered his arm, but any feelings of gratitude she had were erased as the man hoisted her back up and threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down!" she ordered, squirming in his firm grasp. Behind her, Pluto was sure Lucifer was enjoying the view up her short sailor fuku.

The blond sighed. "Listen, girl. This can go one of two ways. Either I can be nice and carry you to Queen Jade's lair or you can walk the entire way with no help from us. Which is it going to be? I don't care either way."

That shut her up fast. If there was absolutely no way she could escape, she'd rather be carried than to be forced to walk when she was so weak, no matter how embarrassing it was. The man took her silence to mean she agreed to be carried and followed Lucifer out of the room.

It was a long distance to Jade's lair. Pluto was glad that she had decided to be quiet because there was absolutely no way she would have been able to walk the entire distance in her condition. Ten minutes later, they arrived in what she assumed was Jade's lair, where the man promptly placed her back on her feet, forcing Pluto to stand with only her Time Staff forsupport.

"You will bow when in the presence of the great and powerful Queen Jade of the Dark Kingdom," the blond informed her, his voice returning to the dull monotone once again.

Pluto's garnet eyes narrowed in contempt at the two guards. "Never!"

"Maybe this will convince you, woman!" Lucifer said, forming a ball of black energy between his hands.

At the front of the room, the shadows suddenly lifted, revealing the figure of the new queen of the Dark Kingdom. Jade stood from her throne and held up her hand. "That will not be necessary, Lucifer. You two are dismissed."

Once the two guards exited the room, the darkly beautiful queen walked over to where her prisoner stood, circling the guardian of time in inspection. It sent a shiver up Pluto's spine. "What do you want with me, Jade?" Pluto demanded to know.

Instead of answering her question, Jade gently ran her fingers across the taller woman's flat stomach. "You must be tired, my dear Pluto," she commented. "It simply not healthy for a woman in your condition to fight."

"My condition?"

"Yes, of course. You are pregnant, are you not?" Pluto nodded, causing the queen to smile knowingly. "With Prince Endymion's child?"

The green-haired warrior gasped. "B-but how did you know that?"

"Oh, I know lots of things. I know that in civilian form, you call yourself Meioh Setsuna and that you own a boutique called _Timeless Creations. _I also know that you are the fabled Guardian of Time, reborn in the present from the Silver Millennium."

Pluto could feel her knees weaken beneath her, but it had nothing to do with her current lack of strength. There was no way Jade could know about the affair, unless… She gripped the Time Staff tighter in her hands, trying to regain her bearings as the queen let out an amused chuckle.

"It was you, wasn't it?" the soldier asked, accusation in her voice. "You were the one who caused us to have the affair."

"I wouldn't necessarily say that," Jade said, her fluorescent green eyes practically glowing. "The attraction was already there, right from the start, and don't you even try to deny it. I simply pushed you two in the right direction."

Pluto glared at the woman, letting what she said sink in. "So the engagement ring…"

"Was cursed," Jade replied with a proud smile. "When your blonde friend accidentally 'lost' her ring at the airport, I used the opportunity to place a spell on the ring that temporarily lessened Endymion's love for his princess and made him more vulnerable to temptation. Then, later at the party, I chose you to be the temptress that would cause him to succumb to his desires. Of course, at the time, I had no idea who Meioh Setsuna really was, but I must say that I'm quite pleased with the way things turned out."

Again, the queen brushed her fingertips across Pluto's belly, causing the guardian of time to step back and clutch her stomach protectively. Her garnet eyes blazed with anger as she finally realized what Jade wanted from her. "You want my baby?"

"But, of course, my dear. The tiny embryo that resides inside you has the potential to become one of the strongest and most powerful beings that ever lived, the true heir to Earth and the Gates of Time, and with the child under my care, I will finally have enough power to conquer not only this planet, but the entire universe, past, present, and future."

"If you think for one second that I will give up my child to one such as you…"

Jade raised her hand, silently ordering Pluto to stop. She then gently cupped the guardian of time's chin in her hand and stared at Pluto's face, shaking her head sadly. "Such a pretty girl," she commented. "It's a shame, really. You're obviously much more beautiful than the one Endymion calls his princess. A man as handsome and powerful as the prince deserves better than a crybaby ditz like Serenity, don't you think? Someone like you, Sailor Pluto?"

"What are you talking about, Jade?"

"It's quite simple, actually. You know that you and Endymion belong together. The only thing that stands in the way of your love is that brat Serenity. In exchange for the fruit of your forbidden passion, I can make your secret and most treasured dream a reality, Pluto. Serenity will die, and the prince can finally be yours alone. Everything you ever wanted will be yours!"

At Jade's words, the heartache she thought had gone away returned, stronger than before. Pluto clutched her breast and squeezed her eyes shut, praying that the pain would go away, but it didn't.

She felt so weak, so powerless, so helpless…

Then the world went black.

* * *

Back in the labyrinth, the Sailor Soldiers were continuing the long and perilous journey toward Jade's lair, but as the hours wore on, the chances of saving both the crystal and their beloved friend were looking slim. Soon after Pluto disappeared, they were forced to battle against an army of Harpies, leaving several of the soldiers badly injured. Saturn had managed to heal most of the critical wounds, but everybody agreed that it would be best if she didn't waste any more of her already foundering energy, so they were forced to bear through the pain.

Tuxedo Kamen groaned as Sailor Moon gently applied pressure to the rather nasty gash on his forearm. "You really don't have to do that, Usako," he said. "The bleeding has stopped."

"I'm sorry." The blonde took away her blood-soaked handkerchief. "I just wanted to help. After all, if you hadn't protected me…"

"Well, don't!"

Tears welled up in his princess's beautiful blue eyes, and he immediately regretted his sharp tone of voice. He reached for his lover's hand, ignoring the pain that traveled up his arm, and squeezed her slender fingers. "I didn't mean it like that…"

Understanding what he was going through, Sailor Moon shot him a small, comforting smile. "I know. You're worried about Pluto."

His eyes widened in surprise, but Tuxedo Kamen couldn't deny his fiancée's accusation. It was true that his thoughts were currently focused on the mysterious guardian of time, although he thought he had managed to hide his emotions from Sailor Moon. He should have known that it was impossible to keep anything secret from his lover for long. Sometimes it seemed like she knew him better than he knew himself.

"You still love her, don't you?"

Tuxedo Kamen quickly shook his head. "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"It's okay, you know," she said softly. "I won't get mad if you say you do. I know that she is the mother of your unborn child, and because of that, you and Pluto will always share a special bond together, whether I like it or not."

"Usako…"

Usagi forced herself to smile, despite the tears that threatened to fall from her lovely eyes. "We'll save her, Mamo-chan. I promise you we will."


	18. Act 17 Power of Forgiveness

Act Seventeen - Power of Forgiveness

When Pluto opened her eyes a couple of hours later, she was surprised to find herself laying on a large, king-sized cast-iron bed in an unfamiliar room. She pulled the black quilted comforter up around her shoulders to protect her from the deathly cold and sat up against the headboard. After her short rest, she felt much stronger.

"Jade?" she called out. Only the silence answered her.

The time guardian knitted her eyebrows in confusion. She didn't remember Jade's guards bringing her here. She must have passed out for a while, but why wasn't she returned to her cell? If it weren't for the strange, Gothic style furniture in the room, she would describe her surroundings as almost homey in an unusual kind of way. This definitely was not the proper procedure for holding a hostage against her will.

The door then slowly creaked open, revealing a pair of glowing green eyes. Pluto unconsciously held her breath, expecting the evil queen of the Dark Kingdom to enter the room. However, it wasn't Jade, but a young boy who walked into the soft glow of a nearby candle. Upon seeing the strange woman in his mother's bed, he stopped in his tracks, afraid to come any closer.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice slightly shaking, although it was obvious that he was trying his best to hide his fear.

Pluto didn't answer right away, too shocked to speak. Instead, she stared at the boy, wondering who he was. He looked to be around eight or nine years old, with coal black hair and piercing emerald green eyes, just like Jade's. Unlike the queen, however, he wore normal clothes. With his jeans and his faded _Pokemon_ T-shirt, the boy looked like any ordinary Japanese boy heading to the arcade or the park to play with his friends. She recalled walking into a boy's bedroom in Jade's mansion on Earth and picking up the Pikachu plush toy. Was it possibly his room?

"Who are you?" the boy asked again, this time sounding much braver.

"My name is Pluto," she finally answered. "What's yours?"

"Damian."

Pluto gave the frightened boy a smile, showing that she intended no harm against him. "It's very nice to meet you, Damian-chan."

Despite her attempts at friendliness, it was evident that Damian didn't trust Pluto. He stepped back toward the door, accidentally crashing into the form of the queen, who had just entered the room.

"Oh, Damian! I was wondering where you had run off to. I thought I told you to stay in your room."

The boy quickly lowered his gaze to the floor, scuffing the floor with his tennis shoe. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

_Mommy?_ That scared, but obviously still sweet, little boy was Jade's son? Pluto watched in surprise as the queen gently ruffled Damian's hair, a soft smile on her face.

"That's okay, sweetie. Why don't you go play with your Gameboy in your bedroom while our visitor and I have a little chat, okay?"

Damian nodded, then walked out of the room. Once he was gone, Jade closed the door and turned back around toward Pluto. The almost serene look on her face disappeared and was replaced by a more sinister smile.

"Now, my dear Pluto, we will pick up where we left off earlier."

The evil queen of the Dark Kingdom took a seat at the foot of the bed as Pluto simply stared silently, not sure what to expect. Inside the room, the temperature seemed to fall another twenty degrees. It didn't appear to bother Jade, but she pulled the warm quilt even more tightly around her shoulders, her teeth slightly chattering.

"He's your son?" Pluto finally asked when it became apparent that Jade had no intention of initiating the conversation.

"Damian? Yes, he is my child," Jade replied, the bearings of a mother's proud smile on her face. "He's quite the handsome devil, isn't he? Thank goodness he takes more after me than his giant of a father, but that's not what we're here to talk about. Do you recall what we were talking about before you had that unfortunate fainting spell?"

Pluto's garnet eyes narrowed in hatred, remembering the offer Jade made her in exchange for the life of her unborn child. Instinctively, she clutched her stomach. "Why are you doing this? You're a mother yourself, Jade, and you know how strong a mother's love is for her child. I love this baby, and there is no way I can ever give up my child."

"Not even for Endymion's love?" Another burst of pain filled her heart again at the sound of the prince's name, but Pluto ignored it. Jade, however, didn't fail to notice her prisoner's slight faltering. The queen smiled. "You love him, Pluto."

"He is my prince and nothing more. I love him in the same way I love my princess."

Jade raised an eyebrow as Pluto attempted to hide another attack, obvious unbelieving of the time guardian's claims. "You know you don't have to pretend in front of me," Jade said, sounding almost like she cared. "For once, put aside your pride and your sense of duty and listen to what your heart wants. Think about what's best for Meioh Setsuna, not for the princess, or the prince, or the future. What do you want?"

The green-haired woman shook her head, tears watering in her eyes. "It doesn't matter what I want. I am the guardian of time, and that's all I ever will be. My life is not my own."

"But you can change that. Wasn't that what you always wanted? The chance to create your own destiny? Well, I'm giving you that chance, Sailor Pluto. You'd be a fool not to take me up on my offer. It's more than generous. Now, do we have a deal or not?"

Pluto looked up and stared straight into Jade's emerald green eyes. Her heart was breaking, but she knew what she had to say.

"No deal, Jade."

* * *

Just outside Queen Jade's lair, the remaining Sailor Soldiers were busy battling the last and apparently strongest youma in a series of increasingly difficult fights. All they had to do was defeat the Minotaur standing in front of the door, and they would be free to enter. However, the youma seemed determined not to let that happen. Already the bodies of Sailor Saturn, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus laid motionless on the ground, all their energy sucked out of them. The others would most likely soon follow.

Spotting the Minotaur aiming for Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen roughly pushed her out of the way of an oncoming energy blast, taking the brunt of the attack. She screamed as her lover painfully hit the cold cement floor of the labyrinth, moaning loudly. Despite the pleas of Mars to stay back, she ran over to his body

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama, are you alright?" she asked worriedly, fighting back her tears.

He slowly nodded his head, attempting to sit up. "Don't worry about me, Sailor Moon. I'll be fine. Just get out of here and hide until we defeat this horrible monster. It's too dangerous for you to be out here without a weapon."

She shook her head, wiping back her tears. "No, I have to fight. It's my fault that everybody's here. There has to be a way…"

In the background, they could hear Neptune and Uranus's screams of agony as they were hit with a double blast of energy coming from the Minotaur's horns. Now only Mars remained standing, but she too was showing signs of fatigue. Sailor Moon bit down on her bottom lip, stifling the sob that rose in her throat.

"Usako, please just go," Tuxedo Kamen begged. "There's nothing you can do. He's too strong."

Sailor Moon ignored his impassioned pleas. Instead, she bravely stood up and closed her eyes. _Please, I need more power, _she prayed. _Help me save my friends._

Suddenly, she felt her body being surrounded by a warm pink glow, similar to what happened when she transformed. Power filled her body, but it was different from the power she received from the crystal. This power came from her heart.

Tuxedo Kamen stared in awe as the pink light quickly spread away from her body and formed into a glowing sphere of energy, heading straight toward the angry Minotaur, who immediately tossed aside Mars' lifeless body at the sight. The attack hit him right in the heart, causing him to scream in agony. "I'll get you for this, Sailor Moon!" he vowed before the half-man, half-bull creature crumbled into a pile of golden moondust.

Completely exhausted, Sailor Moon collapsed on the ground. Tuxedo Kamen crawled over to her body and was glad to see that she was just tired. Her lips curled into a small smile as he took her hand and helped her stand up, holding her in his arms. "Mamo-chan, I did it," she said softly.

"You certainly did, Usako." He planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. "But where did that energy come from? You've never been able to use raw power before."

She shook her head. "I don't know. I just prayed for more power to save my friends, because I didn't want to see them in pain anymore…"

Tears clouding her eyes, she turned her head toward Sailor Mercury's and Sailor Jupiter's nearby bodies. But was it already too late?

"Are they dead?" she whispered fearfully, afraid to hear the answer. Tuxedo Kamen bent down and checked Jupiter's body for a pulse.

"I think they are still alive," he said, causing Sailor Moon to let out a loud sigh of relief. "Their energy has been sucked away, but I think after a short rest, everyone will be fine."

"I'm glad, but…"

"But what?"

"What should we do now? Jade's lair is just beyond that door. Without the others, though, I don't think we have much of a chance of defeating her by ourselves."

He sighed. "I know it seems hopeless, Usako, but do we have much of a choice? Every second the crystal remains in Jade's clutches, our world becomes more in danger. We need to save the Silver Crystal and Pluto before time runs out."

Sailor Moon gave herself a hug, trying to ignore the fear that was creeping into her heart. This was just like last time they fought against the Dark Kingdom. She would again be forced to fight alone, but without the crystal…

"We can do it, Usako," her lover whispered, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her golden head. "I promise you we can."

"I hope you're right, Mamo-chan. I really hope you're right."

* * *

Back at Central Control, Luna and Artemis were busy watching over the Sailor Soldiers' progress through a special camera located on Sailor Moon's brooch. The white cat frowned at the sight of his lover sitting in front of the computer, her cinnamon eyes never leaving the screen. She'd been like that ever since they arrived.

"Luna, I can take over in here if you want to find something to eat or maybe take a short walk to clear your mind."

His partner shook her head. "That's okay. I'm not hungry."

Artemis jumped up beside her in order to get a better look at the information flying across the screen. Things definitely were not looking good for the Sailor Soldiers. He could feel a lump form at the back of his throat as the camera panned over the unmoving bodies of the girls, including that of his beloved mistress, Sailor Venus. What had happened?

"Mina-chan…"

Luna gave him a comforting nudge. "The last monster was just too strong for them. Almost everyone's body was drained completely of their energy."

"Are they…?"

The black cat shook her head, knowing exactly what her partner was thinking. "According to the computer, they still are showing signs of life."

"What about the prince and princess? Are they okay?"

"Yes, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen appear to have escaped the fight with little or no injury, but…"

"You're still worried, aren't you? Luna, you have to believe that Usagi-chan can do this. She's done it plenty of times before-"

"But never without the crystal, Artemis! She has to rely on her own power this time. What if it isn't enough?"

Feeling the tears welling up in her sad red eyes, the black cat jumped from her perch in front of the computer and climbed up a stack of boxes to look out a tiny window located near the ceiling of the basement. Though it was difficult, she could just barely make out the soft glow of the silver globe shining in the night sky. Luna closed her eyes and started to pray.

_Please, Usagi-chan, believe in yourself…_

* * *

Pluto watched Queen Jade rub a finger over the beauty of the Silver Crystal through angry eyes, frustrated that there was nothing she could do. She was so close, yet so far away…

After she refused the queen's offer, Jade had Pluto chained against the wall beside her throne, where the ruler of the Dark Kingdom was now sitting, quite enjoying the warrior's pathetic attempts to break free. Though she'd be trying to get loose for the past thirty minutes or so, it was clear that the iron chains were indestructible. Deciding that it was probably best to save her energy, the prisoner sighed and slid her back down the wall, taking a seat on the cold cement floor.

"You're never going to get away with this!" Pluto growled. "The prince and princess will stop you, just like they defeated your mother all those years ago!"

Amused by her prisoner's harmless threats, Jade snapped close the golden brooch in her hand and smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, my dear Sailor Pluto," she sneered. "Sailor Moon is nothing without this crystal. This will be as easy as taking candy from a baby!"

"She's stronger than you think."

Jade laughed as if Pluto had just told her the funniest joke in the world. That was hilarious! As if that annoying blonde pipsqueak would ever be able to defeat her, the beautiful and powerful queen of the reborn Dark Kingdom. No, it just wasn't possible, not when she held the source of Sailor Moon's power in the palm of her hand.

The queen carelessly tossed aside the golden brooch on a small table beside her and arose from her black cast-iron throne. In front of her, a glowing sphere suddenly appeared and floated between her outstretched hands. "Why don't we see how well your so-called friends are holding out?" Jade suggested, closing her eyes.

Moments later, a image began to slowly form inside the crystal ball, focusing on the sad scene taking place just outside the door to the lair. Pluto held back a sob at the sight of the Sailor Soldiers' bodies, laying lifeless on the ground, while Tuxedo Kamen comforted Sailor Moon in his arms. _It can't be true!_ she thought, fearing the worst. "It has to be a lie!

"They can't be dead!" she exclaimed, roughly yanking on her chains. The shackles clanged loudly against one another in a dissonant symphony. "Tell me it isn't true!"

"Okay, they aren't dead," Jade quipped. "At least not yet. But they soon will be, along with your princess and beloved prince."

Pluto bit down on her lip, trying to hide the tears that threatened to run down her face. Her friends were outside the lair, fighting for their lives, and it was all her fault. If only she'd been strong enough to not fall underneath Jade's spell, none of this would have happened…

The door to the lair suddenly swung open, revealing the shadows of the prince and princess. Pluto gasped, but Jade appeared calm as the crystal ball in her hands disappeared and she turned around to face her opponents. Her electric green eyes seemed to glow with hate as her blood red lips turned into an evil smile, sending a chill of deja vu down Sailor Moon's spine. She'd know those eyes from anywhere.

"It's you!" she accused, her voice slightly shaking. "You're Jade Green, the woman I met at the airport after I lost my engagement ring."

The queen of the Dark Kingdom chuckled, a rather pleased look on her face. "I'm honored that you remembered our brief meeting, Serenity," Jade replied. "I sincerely hope you enjoyed my little wedding gift to you and your fiancé. I know I certainly did."

Sailor Moon's blue eyes widened upon hearing the woman's words. It suddenly all made sense to her. The cursed ring, the fight over Mamoru's inheritance, his and Setsuna's subsequent betrayal… It was all because of Jade. She was the one who caused so much pain, not only to her, but to Mamoru and Setsuna as well. Clenching her fists, the soldier of the moon stepped forward, prepared to fight the woman who almost ruined her life.

"Where are Pluto and the Silver Crystal?" Sailor Moon asked. "We want them back now!"

The guardian of time, who until that moment had remain hidden in the shadows, stood up and stepped as far as she could away from the wall while chained. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face blotchy from the tears she cried, but she still looked bravely beautiful. Tuxedo Kamen swallowed hard, careful not to betray his emotions.

"I'm here, Sailor Moon," she said softly, her head hung low in defeat. "Don't worry about me. Just get back the crystal. That's the important thing."

"Did I give you permission to speak, prisoner?" Jade asked, hurling a beam of dark energy toward Sailor Pluto. The garnet-eyed woman dropped to her knees in agony, but refused to give the queen the satisfaction of hearing her scream.

"Pluto!"

Upon seeing Pluto's pain, Tuxedo Kamen attempted to go to her, but was stopped in his tracks by another blast of energy from Queen Jade's fingertips, slamming him violently against the wall. His lover ran over and cradled him in her arms, while Jade turned back toward her prisoner.

"Did you see that, my dear Pluto?" she asked, a knowing smile on your face. "He loves you. Why else would he put his life in danger to protect you?"

"Because that's the kind of person he is," Pluto declared. "Endymion would do anything to protect a friend, and that is one of the reasons I lo--" The soldier quickly shut her mouth, realizing what she almost just said, as Jade walked over and cupped her chin in her hand.

"Aha! So you finally admit that you love him? It's about time you confessed. Perhaps now you would be willing to reconsider my little offer, Endymion's love in exchange for your child's life."

Pluto felt Sailor Moon staring at her, but she was careful not to look toward her princess and the injured prince, who kept falling in and out of consciousness. Instead, she focused straight on Jade's emerald green eyes. "Yes, I will admit that I love the prince," she confessed in a strong, steady voice. Despite the princess's shocked gasp, Pluto continued, this time turning to look into Sailor Moon's teary eyes. "I love him as a friend, as my future king, as the father of my child, and yes, maybe even as a lover. However, I know in my heart of hearts that there is only one woman Endymion truly loves, and her name is Princess Serenity. Not even your strongest spell could change that, Jade. It's their destiny, and I won't let you destroy their happy future!"

Sailor Moon wiped away a tear at Pluto's speech, touched by her words. The queen had just offered her the chance to grant her greatest wish, yet Pluto refused. She remained loyal to the end. "Pluto…"

However, Jade was not so moved. The queen prepared another attack and launched it toward the guardian of time, but this time Pluto was prepared to fight. She quickly stepped to the side of the incoming attack, allowing the beam of energy to smash right through the chains, and thus releasing her from the bonds that held her against the wall. Jade let out a string of curses as the escaped prisoner ran over to the prince and princess, worried about Tuxedo Kamen's condition.

"Is he okay?" Pluto asked, seeing that he had once again fallen unconscious.

At the sound of the time guardian's voice, the man in Sailor Moon's arms moaned and opened his midnight blue eyes, much to both women's relief. The first thing he did was smile softly at his princess, brushing away a wayward tear from her cheek as Pluto looked on. She expected to feel another pain in her heart at the scene between the two lovers, but strangely enough, the only emotion she felt was happiness. Happiness that the man she loved was happy.

Though he was still weak from the attack, Tuxedo Kamen struggled to stand up with the assistance of the two Sailor Soldiers. The trio then turned around to face Jade, who looked none too pleased at their reconciliation. "What?! I thought you all hated each other!"

"Well, you thought wrong, Jade," Sailor Moon replied. "There's a power stronger than hate and betrayal, and that is love and forgiveness. Too bad you will never achieve that power yourself." Beside Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Moon began glowing the soothing pink light from earlier, but instead of flying towards Jade, the energy formed a large sphere in her hands. She looked up and smiled at her companions. "Let's do this together."

Tuxedo Kamen and Pluto nodded as they too prepared their attacks, releasing the three balls of energy at the same time. The colors of pink, gold, and purple mysteriously combined, forming a bright beam of silver light. Jade desperately tried to shield herself from the oncoming blast, but it was too late. She screamed as her body was thrown against the wall.

By that time, the rest of the Sailor Soldiers had recovered from their energy drainages and ran into the lair, surprised to find that the others were holding up so well against Jade. Though she wasn't dead, it was obvious that the queen of the Dark Kingdom was in much pain.

Spotting Sailor Moon's golden brooch on the table beside the throne, Venus grabbed the transformation device and tossed it toward the princess. "Here, transform!" she ordered. "You'll be able to defeat her easily as Eternal Sailor Moon."

"Right! MOON ETERNAL MAKEUP!"

Seconds later, the light of her transformation disappeared, revealing the beautiful form of Eternal Sailor Moon. In her hand, she held a short scepter which seemed to elongate into a staff in the blink of an eye. She truly cut an impressive figure as she stood over the injured villain, prepared to finish the Dark Kingdom queen off.

"Jade, I don't want to kill you if I don't have to," Eternal Sailor Moon said softly, shocking the queen, as well as some of the Sailor Soldiers who wanted nothing more to see the evil being die. "I meant what I said before about forgiveness. Repent for your crimes, and I will forgive you."

Jade laughed bitterly, tears in her eyes. "You want me to apologize? Ha! What about you? You and your friends killed my mother and destroyed my home, two of the few things I actually loved. Don't you think_ I _deserve an apology?"

Eternal Sailor Moon loosened her grip on her staff, a sad look in her eyes. She never knew. "I'm sorry, Jade…"

"I don't want to hear your stupid apologies, Serenity! Nothing will ever bring her back, so you might as well kill me too. At least then I will be with my mother once again."

Reluctantly, Eternal Sailor Moon set the bottom of the staff on the ground and wrapped both hands around the center. She didn't want to do this, despite the pain Jade caused, but if she refused to repent, there was no other choice. STARLIGHT HONEY-

"Wait! Don't hurt my mommy!"

Eleven pairs of eyes turned in the direction of the door, where a tearful eight-year-old boy stood, a frightened look on his face. Jade smiled faintly at the sight of her beloved son."Damian…"

It was Pluto who finally stepped forward, taking the little boy's hand in her own. He looked so scared that she couldn't help but want to comfort him. In response, Damian gave her a shaky smile, remembering her from earlier.

"Pluto, who is he?" Jupiter asked.

"This is Damian, Jade's son," Pluto answered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "We met earlier."

"Jade's son?"

Pluto nodded before turning toward Eternal Sailor Moon. Though it would probably be met with some opposition from the others, she knew what she had to do. "Don't kill her, Eternal Sailor Moon."

"What?" the soldier of the moon asked.

"I know it sounds crazy, but he's just a little boy who still needs his mother. There has to be another way to deal with this besides death."

Eternal Sailor Moon lowered her staff, curious as to what the guardian of time had to say. If there was another way to deal with Jade than with death, she would gladly welcome it. No matter how many enemies she killed in the name of love and justice, it still pained her to have to do it. "What are you suggesting, Pluto?"

"I can open up another space warp and take Jade and Damian to a nearby prison here in the Andromeda Galaxy. I still have a few contacts here that I met during the Silver Millennium, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind doing me a favor. That way Jade is punished, but Damian still gets to stay with his mother."

The blonde's blue eyes shifted from Damian's frightened emeralds to those of his mother and back again. There really was only one choice. The boy needed his mother. "Alright, Pluto, go ahead."

Pluto gently pulled Damian to the spot where Jade was laying and let him go hug his mother as she raised her Time Staff high. The Garnet Orb on top began glowing brightly as a space warp opened beneath the group of the three and they disappeared.

A few minutes later, the space warp opened again and Pluto jumped out, feeling weak from her energy drainage. Neptune and Uranus immediately ran over to hold her up. "Are you okay, Pluto?" the ocean warrior asked.

Pluto looked over at Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, who were holding hands, and smiled.

"Yes, Neptune, I'm fine, and everything is just how it should be. Everything."


	19. Act 18 Baby Shower

Act Eighteen - Baby Shower

"Haruka, come help me with these streamers!" Michiru ordered from the porch.

Inside, sitting on her favorite armchair in the living room, the blonde tomboy rolled her eyes and ignored her lover's pleas for help. Couldn't Michiru see that she was busy blowing up the balloons like _she_ asked her to?

"Haruka!"

Just one more puff…

"Haruka!"

POP!

Haruka cursed loudly as the yellow balloon she was blowing up exploded right in front of her face. Stupid, cheap balloon. Why did she get stuck with such a lame job?

"Because you're just full of hot air. Might as well put it to good use."

The blonde slowly turned around at the sound of her partner's voice in the doorway. Her eyes were open wide in shock, even though she knew she should be use to Michiru's uncanny ability to know exactly what she was thinking by now. "How do you do that?" she asked.

The aqua-haired musician made her way through the sea of colorful balloons and plopped down on Haruka's lap, wrapping her arms around her lover's neck. Her soft pink lips were curled up in a mysterious smile. "Magic," she answered simply, as if that explained everything.

Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Really? Okay, Magic-san, if you're so smart, then tell me what I'm thinking about right now."

Michiru cocked her head in mock concentration, closing her dark blue eyes. "Hmmm, let's see…" she purred, brushing her lips against Haruka's. The blonde moaned at her touch, wanting more. "Is it something like this?"

She nodded as Michiru slowly started nibbling on her ear. "Hey, aren't we supposed to be setting up for the party?" Haruka asked in a breathless voice.

Michiru waved a disinterested hand toward the doorway. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Hotaru-chan can finish up in here… Oh, hi, Hotaru-chan."

The raven-haired teen lowered the stack of beautifully wrapped presents in her arms, an amused look on her face as her mothers quickly pulled away from each other and blushed. Sometimes those two acted like a couple of hormonal teenagers instead of the mature adults they claimed they were. "Hope I wasn't interrupting something," Hotaru said with a knowing smile.

The musician stood back up, smoothing down her wild hair and tucking back in the green t-shirt that somehow managed to get pulled out from her jeans. "No, nothing at all," she replied. "Haruka and I were…uh…just finishing blowing up the balloons. So, who are the gifts from? I thought we already brought all our gifts downstairs."

"Oh, these are from Ami-san and Ryo-san."

"Wow! They certainly were generous."

Hotaru rolled her eyes as she adjusted the stack of boxes in her arms so they wouldn't fall. "I'll say. This is just the first batch. Shingo's helping Ryo-san with the rest."

"You mean there's more?"

"Yeah, they should be right behind me. Should I put these gifts in the dining room with the others?"

Michiru absent-mindedly waved a hand toward the aforementioned room and walked over to the door. Sure enough, Shingo and Ryo were busy carrying a huge box nearly twice the size of their television set up the front steps, panting heavily. She quickly opened the door and held it open for them as they brought the box inside and dropped it on the floor with a resounding thud. Shingo slid down to the ground in exhaustion while Ryo looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"Hallelujah!" Ryo exclaimed, leaning against the box. "I didn't think we were going to make it. I told Ami that we should have had the store deliver it straight to the house, but she insisted on us dragging this bloody thing here ourselves so that Setsuna-san wouldn't find out about the party."

Hearing voices, Hotaru popped her head out of the dining room and smiled. "Good, you two managed to haul that thing in here. Now would you mind terribly if I asked you to bring it in here with the other presents? It's blocking the doorway."

Shingo sighed heavily and vehemently shook his head. "No way, no how. If you want this thing moved, you'll have to do it yourself. I came here to help your family decorate, not to be your personal moving man."

Shingo's girlfriend stepped out of the dining room with a pathetic puppy dog look on her face. "Shingo, please," she pleaded. "I'm sure a big, strong man like you can manage to carry a itty-bitty box ten feet to the table."

Rolling his eyes, the teenage boy stood back up and grabbed his side of the box. The things he did for love! He could have been at the arcade right now, hanging out with his buddies, but with one bat of an eyelash and a kiss on the cheek, and he was hers. Luckily, however, Michiru got Haruka to help them move the insanely large package from the doorway, so it wasn't that bad.

Michiru then headed outside to greet the blue-haired doctor, who was busy piling more presents into the two large sacks beside her. The musician felt like she was going to faint at the sight of even more gifts for Setsuna. Haruka thought she and Hotaru spent too much money on presents? Wait until she check these out. Ami must have bought the entire baby department at Macy's. In comparison, she made the two of them look like Ebenezer Scrooge.

"Oh, hi, Michiru-san!" Ami greeted her. "I hope you don't mind that I arrived a little early. Ryo wanted to drop me off on his way to the airport. He's going to Baltimore for a pediatrics conference this weekend."

"It's fine, Ami-chan. You can help me finish decorating the porch. Do you need any help out here?"

The doctor took a final look inside the large SUV, making sure she hadn't accidentally overlooked anything. "I think that's about it, but you can take one of the bags inside if you'd like."

"Sure."

The aqua beauty grabbed one of the deceptively heavy bags of gifts and lead Ami toward the house. They headed straight to the dining room, where they found the guys and Haruka sitting at the table, drinking the lemonade Hotaru brought out in gratitude for the work they did. Spotting his wife walk in, Ryo jumped up and took Ami's bag, setting it on top of the table. He then looked down at his watch, realizing he needed to go if he didn't want to miss his flight.

"I better go now," he announced, giving Ami a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll give you a call as soon as I arrive at the hotel."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, Ami." Ryo gave her a small smile and lightly caressed her cheek. His voice then lowered so that nobody could here him. "Have fun, okay? And don't worry so much about this baby thing. You'll get pregnant one day. I promise."

They exchanged quick goodbyes and then Ami slumped into Ryo's empty seat, sighing. Michiru gave the younger woman a sympathetic look. Though Ryo tried to be discreet, she had heard the entire conversation. So, that was why Ami bought so many presents. She was depressed about not having her own baby, but instead of talking about it, she had decided to spoil the child of her friend. Michiru rested a comforting hand on Ami's shoulder.

"Come on, Ami-chan. Let's get to work on the porch."

* * *

A lime green convertible pulled into the driveway of the Tenoh/Kaioh/Meioh/Tomoe household about ten minutes later. Its driver, an athletic brunette, honked her horn and waved to Michiru and Ami, who were busy decorating the front porch. The two girls immediately dropped what they were doing to help Makoto unload the food for the party.

"Did you remember to bring the cake, Mako-chan?" Michiru asked, taking the stack of Tupperware the Amazon handed her.

Makoto reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed a large white box. "Of course I remembered, Michiru-san!" she exclaimed, opening the box to show her friends the gorgeous white frosted cake, decorated with elegant purple roses made of icing and the words "Welcome, Baby Meioh" written across the center in beautiful kanji. "I wasn't sure what kind of cake Setsuna liked, especially with the weird cravings she's been having lately, so I just decided to go with simple vanilla. I hope she likes it."

Michiru laughed. "Knowing Setsuna-san, if you just offered her a bowl of sugar, she would be as pleased as punch. I don't know what it is, but she has developed quite the sweet tooth over the past couple of months. Just yesterday, I caught her finishing off the entire box of chocolate I gave Haruka for Valentine's Day."

The blue-haired doctor raised an eyebrow at the report of her patient's eating habits. "But wasn't Valentine's Day over two months ago?"

"Exactly."

Ami just shook her head, mentally writing a note to herself reminding herself to have a little chat with the mother-to-be during the party. Chocolate definitely didn't provide the nutrition a growing baby needed.

After unloading the rest of the refreshments, the trio then headed back inside the house and to the kitchen to set up. Much to the doctor's relief, the rest of Makoto's feast appeared to be rather healthy, to the displeasure of a certain teenage boy who strolled into the room looking for a quick snack. The chef was quick to slap Shingo on the wrist when she caught him trying to steal a finger sandwich from one of her containers. "Hey, not until the party, mister," she scolded lightly.

"No fair, Kino-san!" Shingo exclaimed. "I'm not even invited to the shower."

With a playful look in her eyes, the musician grinned. "Oh, I don't mind if you stay, Shingo-kun. Consider yourself invited. It'll be great. I'm sure you'll have tons of fun listening to us girls talking about diapers and breast feeding."

The boy wrinkled his nose in disgust and immediately stepped away from the sandwiches, walking backwards toward the door. "No, thank you, Kaioh-san. I think I'd rather go hungry. Besides, I think I hear Hotaru calling. See ya!"

The three girls turned to stare at each other before erupting into a gale of giggles. Boy, that sure got him out of there fast. If only Makoto had it that easy dealing with Shinozaki. Her boyfriend -- no, fiancé, she reminded herself -- loved to hang out with her in the kitchen while she was cooking, sneaking little bites here and there when he thought she wasn't looking.

The thought of Shinozaki brought a goofy smile on the brunette's face as she twirled the small diamond ring around her finger. She still couldn't believe that after all these years of searching for Prince Charming, he had been there all along. Beside her, Ami poked her friend in the ribcage.

"So, have you and Shinozaki-kun set the date yet?" she asked.

Makoto shrugged, still wearing the silly grin. "Not really. Everything has been so crazy lately, preparing for Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san's upcoming nuptials and all, that I haven't really had the time to think about my own wedding. Probably sometime next year, in the summertime. I always wanted to be a June bride."

The aqua-haired musician sighed loudly, resting her elbows on the counter. "You're so lucky, Mako-chan. I would love to have a wedding, but Haruka won't even think about it. She says that we already know how we feel about each other, so getting married is just a waste of valuable time and money."

A knock on the front door interrupted their conversation. Michiru sighed again and went to see who it was while Ami and Makoto continued talking about the wedding. "Hello, Rei-chan, Yuuichiro-kun," the musician said, greeting the arguing couple outside on the porch. The lovebirds ignored their friend, immersed in their own private universe.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me when I'm meditating?"

The temple caretaker rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, looking a little hot under the collar. The other hand held a medium-sized bag. "I told you, Rei. I'm sorry. It was just an honest mistake. Really."

"This was the third time this week, Yuui-chan. I can't have you interrupting my fire readings every time you're feeling frisky."

"Well, can you blame me? You looked so beautiful sitting there, with the flames flickering across your face. I just had to kiss you. It's not my fault that-"

Michiru loudly cleared her throat, not really wanting to hear what happened if she didn't have to. Finally aware of her presence, the priestess and her boyfriend immediately extinguished their heated argument and blushed identical shades of dark red. "Oh, hello, Michiru-san," Rei said. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to wish I wasn't," Michiru said, smiling knowingly.

Rei and Yuuichiro both began shaking their heads vehemently. "It's not what it sounds like," the priestess insisted. "We've never…uh, at least, I've never…"

"Yeah, what she said," Yuuichiro said, trying to help. "It was perfectly innocent. All I did was--"

The aqua-haired beauty crossed her arms and raised a doubtful eyebrow at the couple. Of course she knew that nothing immoral happened between the two, because Rei was definitely not that type of girl, but it was certainly fun to watch them squirm. "Sure, okay. Whatever you say, Yuuichiro-kun," Michiru teased.

The priestess, trying to hide her increasing embarrassment, grabbed the gift bag from Yuuichiro's hand and walked inside the house. "Okay, you walked me here, so you can go back to the temple now," Rei said quickly, wanting Yuuichiro gone before the others came out and heard what happened, twisting it all out of proportion in their little perverted minds. Haruka alone would have a field day. "I'm sure there's plenty of chores for you do at the shrine."

The look she threw him left no room for arguments. The caretaker said goodbye to his girlfriend and a snickering Michiru and headed back to the shrine. After he left, the two girls went back to the kitchen to help Ami and Makoto set up for the party.

* * *

A gorgeous blonde smiled as she stared out the window of her boyfriend's car, watching the world pass by. Was it just her or did Tokyo look even more beautiful than usual?

Beside her, her lover raised an eyebrow. "You certainly look happy today, Minako," he commented as he smoothly braked to a stop at the red light. "That smile has not left your face since this morning."

The movie star seductively rested her hand on Asai's knee, rubbing his thigh. "Well, maybe that's because I had a good night."

"Maybe?"

Minako laughed at the disappointed look on her boyfriend's face. "Okay, I definitely had a good night. No, make that a great night. A super night. A fantastic night. A--"

The professional volleyball player brought a finger to her soft pink lips, a grin on his face. "I get the point, Minako," he said, cupping her chin in his hand and leaning over to give the blonde a sweet kiss on the lips. "No need to expound the point. Although if you want…"

His words hung in the air as Minako moved in for another kiss, more passionate than the first, effectively proving her point without saying a word. They didn't come back for air until the line of impatient drivers began honking their horns. Asai blushed as he looked up at the now green light in front of them. From the looks and sounds of things, it appeared that the light had changed several minutes ago.

"I think we better get going now," he said, wiping the Passion Pink lipstick from his lips.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

He gunned the engine, crossing the intersection just as the light reverted back to its hated red hue. Behind them, they laughed at the symphony of blaring horns and shouted expletives of those forced to wait yet another five minutes to cross the street.

"We are so bad!" Minako screamed, pulling back her windblown hair. "I can't believe we just did that in public! Do you think anyone saw us?"

"I think everybody in a two mile radius saw us. Hope there wasn't any paparazzi around. I know how much you hate that."

The movie star brushed his concerns off. "It doesn't matter, Asai. I love you and I don't care who knows."

The professional volleyball player's face suddenly became serious as he finally turned into the driveway of the Outers' house and killed the engine. Asai then faced his girlfriend, taking her hand while he stared into her large baby blue eyes. "Minako, do you regret last night?" he asked softly.

Minako gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about? I told you that last night was wonderful. It was a night I'll never forget for as long as I live."

"But I took your virgini--"

The blonde shook her head, correcting his mistake. Her other hand reached up to brush away a strand of dark black hair that fell into his eyes. "I gave you my virginity. You didn't take anything. When I was younger, I made a promise to myself that my first time would be with the man I loved with all my heart and soul, and although I might be a little ditzy and scatterbrained, I always keep my promises. I love you, Asai, and I don't regret a thing."

"I love you, too, my beautiful goddess of love."

The lovers kissed sweetly before Minako remembered that she had a shower to attend, as much as she would much rather stay in Asai's arms. Nevertheless, she grabbed her present and said goodbye, watching the car pull away. She touched her lips, still burning from his passionate kisses, and blushed before heading inside. How wonderful it felt to finally be in love!

* * *

Meanwhile, over at_ Timeless Creations,_ Usagi stared at her reflection in the mirror, amazed at how beautiful her wedding dress was turning out. She twirled in a small circle, wanting to see how it looked from every possible angle. "Oh, Setsuna-san, it's perfect!" she breathed. "Absolutely perfect!"

The six-months pregnant guardian of time carefully stood up from her kneeling position and took a step back to inspect her work. There was a small frown on her face as she noticed some minor mistakes. A seam was slightly crooked and the bodice could be taken in a little bit more, though with the way Usagi ate, it probably would be smart to leave some room around the stomach area. Plus, she definitely needed to lose about two inches on the train. The last thing Usagi needed was to trip on what was going to be the most important day of her life. But all in all, the princess did look incredibly beautiful.

"You look gorgeous, Usagi-chan," Setsuna replied, pinning up the hem of the train. "Mamoru-san will be positively speechless once he sees you walking down the aisle."

Usagi blushed very prettily at the designer's compliment. "I still can't believe that the wedding is less than five months away. We've been waiting a lifetime for this, but now that it's actually happening… It just seems like this is all just a wonderful dream, you know?"

Setsuna sighed as she stood back up and smoothed out a couple of wrinkles in the pure white silk. She was happy for Usagi and Mamoru, really and truly she was, but the time guardian couldn't help but feel a tad bit depressed whenever the wedding was mentioned, although not for the same reasons as before. It only served as a reminder that soon everything would change. She had such little time left.

Noticing the designer's melancholy, Usagi gave the green-haired woman a concerned look. She was surprised to see the beginning of a tear forming in the corner of Setsuna's eye. "Setsuna-san, is something wrong?" she asked. "Did I say something to upset you?"

Setsuna wiped away the tear and shook her head, forcing herself to give the future bride a small smile. "It's nothing, Usagi-chan," the designer insisted as she started unbuttoning the back of Usagi's dress. "I was just thinking about something and I guess my hormones have been making me more emotional than usual. Nothing to worry about. You should start getting dressed. I'll be closing the shop in a few minutes."

Usagi glanced up at the clock, surprised at how late it was. Michiru was going to kill her! She quickly gathered up the bottom of her gown and ran to the dressing room, leaving Setsuna to shake her head in amusement. No doubt Usagi was late for something once again.

A couple of minutes later, Usagi came back out and found Setsuna carefully putting the dress back on the mannequin, a threaded needle between her teeth. Usagi frowned, her hands resting on her hips.

"I thought you said that you were closing," Usagi said. "Shouldn't you be making the final rounds?"

The designer shrugged her shoulders. "I decided to stay a little while longer to work on your dress. Haruka said that she was going to be busy until around eight or so, and since my car's in the shop and I don't really feel like walking home today, I figured I'd just stay here until Haruka can pick me up."

"But you can't!"

Usagi blushed and quickly slapped a hand over her big mouth, realizing she almost gave everything away. Curious by the princess's behavior, Setsuna put the needle back in her pin cushion and crossed her arms, interested in what she had to say. "Why not?"

"Uhhhh… Because I can take you home," Usagi replied, congratulating herself on her quick thinking. It wasn't exactly how the plan was supposed to go, but she was sure Michiru would understand.

Setsuna quickly declined the offer. "No, that's okay, Usagi-chan. I don't want to make you go out of your way. I'll be fine here."

"Don't be silly! It's no problem at all. Shingo spent the day with Hotaru-chan over at your house and I promised to take him home, so it's not an issue. Come on, Setsuna-san. I won't take no for an answer."

Although she was still suspicious, Setsuna finally accepted Usagi's kind offer. She quickly began closing the store while the blonde pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. "Michiru-san?" she whispered so Setsuna couldn't hear. "There's been a change in plans…"

* * *

Ten minutes later, the two woman were in the pink Corvette Mamoru bought Usagi as an early wedding present and driving toward Setsuna's house. The suspicions the time guardian had earlier were aroused once again as they stopped at a red light about two blocks away from the house and Usagi handed her a scarf.

"What's this for?" Setsuna asked.

The blonde grinned. "It's a blindfold. Put it on before the light turns green."

What kind of crazy idea did she have cooked up now? Despite her reservations, Setsuna did as she was told, wondering what in the world was going on. Michiru better not be throwing her a baby shower. She specifically told the musician that she didn't want a shower, especially considering the sensitive circumstances of her baby's conception. Besides, they already had plenty of baby supplies up in the attic from Hotaru's brief emergence as an infant. Most of it was still brand new, never removed from the box, so it wasn't like she needed anything.

However, when Usagi turned into the driveway and told her to take off the blindfold, Setsuna couldn't help but blink back tears of happiness at the sight of all her friends on the festively decorated veranda, shouting "Surprise!"

It truly was the best surprise she ever received.

* * *

After the shower, Setsuna began helping Michiru, Hotaru, and Usagi clean up the huge mess they made, a small smile on her face. She truly had the best friends in the entire world, even if Michiru had gone against her wishes and thrown her a baby shower.

Beside her, the musician frowned at the sight of the pregnant time guardian bending down to pick up some trash. She quickly grabbed the wrapping paper from Setsuna's hands. "No, Setsuna," Michiru ordered, wagging a finger in her friend's face. "You are not helping us with the clean-up."

"But--"

"No buts. You are going straight up to bed and sleep, just like Ami-chan said. I'm sure you're tired after all the excitement of the party."

"But I'm not tired, Michiru," Setsuna replied, stifling a yawn. Well, maybe she was a tad bit sleepy...

However, her friend refused to take no for an answer. Michiru playfully shooed her toward the stairs, promising they could take care of everything downstairs. Though she felt guilty for leaving them with all the work, Setsuna reluctantly exited the living room and headed toward the stairs, thinking that turning in early sounded like a very good idea. But halfway up the staircase, she turned back around and quietly slipped out the front door to do some stargazing.

It was one of her favorite things to do when something was troubling her. For some reason, the sight of the starry night sky always managed to calm her nerves. Tonight's was particularly beautiful, illuminated by the serene presence of a crescent moon and hundreds of tiny stars, sparkling like diamonds against the darkness of the sky. Setsuna sighed, already feeling better.

Grabbing a thin blanket that had been left out to dry on the porch, she sat down on the swinging bench and wrapped the soft material over her ever-growing belly. It was strange to think that just in a few short months, she was going to be a mother. It was scary, yet exciting at the same time. She only wished she had someone to share in this little miracle. Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru were great, but…

She brought her hand to her stomach, rubbing the bulging belly. "I love you, my little one," Setsuna whispered. "But will my love alone be enough?"

Tears clouded her eyes as she began gently rocking back in forth in the swing, lost in her thoughts of the future. Setsuna didn't even notice when Usagi came out on the porch until the princess sat down beside her and handed the time guardian a handkerchief embroidered with tiny pink bunnies.

"Setsuna-san, what's wrong?" she asked, the concern evident in her voice. "I thought Michiru-san told you to go to sleep."

Setsuna wiped away her tears and forced a small smile on her face. "It's nothing, Usagi-chan. Just hormones again."

The blonde didn't look convinced. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Setsuna was upset about something. "Didn't you like the party? Michiru-san said that you didn't want a shower. Maybe we shouldn't have gave one."

"No, the party was wonderful," Setsuna said quickly, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "Everybody was so generous. I still can't believe Ami-chan and Ryo-san gave the baby such a beautiful crib. And I really must thank you again for the mobile and the blanket."

Usagi shrugged. "It was nothing, really."

"But it was, Usagi-chan." Setsuna reached for the blonde's hand and squeezed lightly. "Especially considering what I put you through. I still don't understand why you've been so nice to me. If I was in your position, I don't think I would ever be able to forgive my fiancé's mistress for getting pregnant, much less still be her friend."

"It's really not so hard to understand," Usagi replied. "I love Mamoru-san and the child that grows inside of you is part of him. I could never hate something he loves."

"Usagi-chan…" The green-haired woman suddenly gasped, her garnet eyes widening. She just felt a kick. Taking Usagi's hand, she rested it on her belly, smiling as the princess giggled. "She's strong, isn't she? Just like Mamoru-san."

Usagi shook her head before standing up to leave. "Just like her mother. See you, Setsuna-san."

Setsuna watched as the beautiful blonde with the heart of pure gold jumped into her car and pulled out of the driveway, completely speechless by what Usagi just said. Tears now streamed down her face freely, but they were tears of happiness. Usagi forgave her…

"You truly are love personified, my princess," she whispered.


	20. Act 19 Labor Pains

Act Nineteen - Labor Pains

One night about three months later, Setsuna woke up from a peaceful sleep, her body overcome with a pain she never felt before in her entire life. Not even a youma attack could begin to compare to what she felt. She moaned loudly, grabbing her stomach.

A few seconds later, the pain subsided, allowing her to finally breath again. It took her a few minutes to realize that she just experienced her first contraction. It was time.

Setsuna quickly sat up and slipped on a pair of slippers and a robe. Her hospital bag was already packed and sitting on the floor beside her bed, ready for when the time came. They had prepared for this for the past two weeks, so Setsuna already knew what to do. She grabbed the light suitcase, then headed toward Haruka and Michiru's bedroom at the end of the hallway.

"Haruka…Michiru…" she whispered loudly as she knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she slowly opened the door, letting the light from the hallway fall over the two lovers.

Michiru was the first to awaken, rubbing her sleepy blue eyes as she sat up in the bed. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of the very pregnant guardian of time standing in the doorway of her bedroom. "Now?" she asked, obviously irritated at being woken up in the middle of the night. She had hoped that Setsuna would go into labor during the day.

Setsuna nodded her head. "Sorry, Michiru."

"No, it's okay, Setsuna… Haruka, honey, it's time."

The blonde tomboy groaned and flipped over on her stomach, pulling the pillow of her head. "Not now, Michiru. Not in the mood."

The aqua-haired musician rolled her eyes at Setsuna as she gently shook her lover. Haruka rolled over again, this time falling right over the side of the bed. She landed on the floor with a resounding thud, finally waking up. Michiru giggled at the annoyed look on the blonde's face.

"This isn't funny, Michiru," Haruka complained, rubbing the dull pain at the base of her back. "If you wanted me out of the bed, there are lots of less painful…" Michiru jerked her head toward the doorway, turning her partner's attention toward their guest. Finally realizing what was happening, Haruka quickly picked herself off the floor and began frantically pulling on a pair of jeans. "Now?Whydidn'tyoutellmethatSetsunawasinlabor?Didwepackthebags?Hasthehospitalbeencalled?Hotaru-channeedstocallAmi-chan!WheredidIputthosekeys?I'velostthekeys!Howarewe--"

Ever calm, the musician reached over and grabbed the set of car keys sitting on the night table. Haruka grinned sheepishly, taking the keys and putting them in her pocket. "Thanks."

Michiru simply shook her head while she began getting dressed. This was definitely a rarely seen side of her partner and lover. Haruka was always in control of every situation, whether it was fighting daimons or racing one of her cars around the track. To say the least, seeing her practically lose her mind over something as simple and natural as childbirth was amusing.

In the doorway, Setsuna began feeling another contraction. She moaned loudly, clutching her stomach. Nobody told her that having a baby would hurt so much! Her groans awoke Hotaru who was sleeping two doors down. The door to the teen's bedroom opened and the raven-haired beauty popped her head out, rubbing the sleep out of her tired eyes.

"Setsuna-mama, is it time?" she asked, struggling to hold back a yawn. "Should I call Ami-san?"

"Yes, Hotaru-chan, call Ami-chan and the hospital and tell them we'll be there in about fifteen or twenty minutes," Michiru ordered, answering for Setsuna, who was busy going through the breathing exercises she learned in her childbirth class. "Her contractions are about seven minutes apart."

The time guardian shook her head after the contraction passed. "Six minutes and twenty-three seconds apart."

Hotaru rolled her eyes at her mother's exactness, but nevertheless went to make the calls. Michiru then handed Setsuna's suitcase to Haruka and started helping the pregnant woman down the stairs and to Haruka's car.

Minutes later, the unique family was on the road to the hospital to welcome yet another member to the bunch. Haruka was driving, of course, albeit faster than usual while Hotaru needlessly called out directions from the passenger seat in an attempt to feel useful. Michiru sat in the back with Setsuna, coaching her through Lamaze.

"Now, turn left at the next red light…"

"Hotaru-chan, I know how to get to the freaking hospital," Haruka shouted over another one of Setsuna's screams as she sharply turned left. "You're not helping!"

"Sorry," the teen apologized, surprised by Haruka's sharp tone of voice. She pulled out her cell phone and turned around in her seat. "Setsuna-mama, do you want me to call the others?"

The green-haired woman shook her head as the contraction passed. "No, that's okay, Hotaru-chan," she replied. "I don't want to wake everyone up in the middle of the night. We can call the others in the morning."

Hotaru paused before asking her next question. "What about the father? Do you want me to call him?"

Setsuna felt a lump form at the back of her throat. Mamoru… Should she call him? He really should be there for the birth of his child, but she knew that there would be questions to be answered if he unexpectedly showed up at the hospital. It would be better if Mamoru didn't know. Reluctantly she shook her head, squeezing Michiru's hand even tighter. "No, that's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Michiru looked down at her watch, a frown on her lips. As Setsuna's Lamaze coach in the unknown father's absence, she was in charge of timing the contractions, even though the guardian of time seemed to have her own natural stopwatch. However, that didn't stop her from checking the time every other minute in nervousness. It didn't help that the ride to the hospital seemed to be taking even longer than usual.

"Haruka, how much longer to the hospital?" she asked worriedly. "Setsuna's contractions are coming closer and closer together."

The driver swore under her breath. "We should already be there. I think I might have taken a wrong turn."

"What?" their daughter exclaimed. "What do you mean you took a wrong turn, Haruka-papa? I thought you said--"

"Forget what I said!" Haruka yelled. "Just get out the damn map and tell me where we are."

The teen opened the glove compartment and pulled out the faded map, her violet eyes struggling to make out the street names in the darkness of night. Behind her, Setsuna bit her lip, trying not to show her anxiety. The last place she wanted to give birth to her child was in the back seat of Haruka's Hyperion Azzuro.

"It's going to be okay, Setsuna," Michiru said soothingly, brushing a strand of hunter green hair from her friend's sweaty face "Just hang on."

Setsuna nodded, but she didn't have much faith in Michiru's words. She could feel another contraction coming on, only four minutes and twelve seconds after the last. The baby was coming, whether they liked it or not. She squeezed the musician's hand tightly, unable to hold in the scream of agony that ripped through her body.

Haruka covered her left ear with her hand, wincing at the horrible sound coming from the backseat. If she ever had any doubts about not wanting a baby, this cinched it. "Thank goodness I'm a lesbian," she muttered, earning a nasty glare from her lover's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"Haruka, can you stop complaining and drive a little faster?" Michiru asked, obviously not very happy with her right now. "In case you haven't noticed, Setsuna's in LABOR back here."

"How can I NOT notice?"

Hotaru held up a hand, signaling her parents to stop their argument. "Haruka-papa, turn left! I figured out how to get to the hospital."

The car made another sharp turn, almost sideswiping another vehicle, and sped up. It was taking all of Michiru's willpower not to reach over the seat and strangle her partner as Setsuna screamed at the abruptness of the turn. But luckily for Haruka, she could see the bright, welcoming lights of Tokyo Memorial just up ahead. It's would be long now.

"Hang on, Setsuna. We're almost there."

* * *

In the comfort of her hospital room, Setsuna sat back against the fluffy white pillows, tired after the last, particularly painful contraction. Beside her, Michiru wiped the time guardian's sweaty brow while giving her words of encouragement. She hadn't left her side the entire time.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this," Setsuna said breathlessly. "Where is Ami-chan?"

"Don't worry, Setsuna. I'm sure she'll be here any minute."

True to Michiru's word, the blue-haired doctor breezed into Setsuna's room, looking surprisingly chipper and alert despite being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. She was probably used to it, though. Ami immediately grabbed her chart and smiled.

"Well, Setsuna-san, it looks like your labor is progressing quite nicely," the doctor informed them, pushing her glasses up her nose. "You're already dilated nine centimeters and the contractions are about two minutes apart. It shouldn't be too long now. I'm going to go prep for delivery and when I get back, you're going to have this baby. Okay?"

The guardian of time nodded her agreement. After Ami left, another contraction tore through her body, even stronger than before. Michiru offered her hand, not even flinching at the pain of Setsuna's long fingernails digging into the musician's skin. "Come on, Setsuna," she said. "Remember the breathing exercises."

"Michiru, I'm scared," Setsuna whispered after the contraction passed. "What if I'm a horrible mother? What if he or she hates me because of who I am? What if--"

The aqua-haired woman sighed, untangling her hand from Setsuna's grip. "Oh, sweetie, you're going to be a wonderful mother," she insisted with a bright smile. "You did a great job helping me and Haruka raise Hotaru after the battle with Pharaoh 90, remember? And you aren't going to be alone, you know. You, me, Haruka, Hotaru and this baby - we're a family. Now and always."

Family… Setsuna's garnet red eyes suddenly darkeend, and she turned away from her friend, not wanting Michiru to see the tears that were forming. They still didn't know. Perhaps this was as good as time as any to tell her the secret that had plagued her soul ever since her awakening. "Michi--"

Before she could get her thought out, though, Ami walked back into the room, dressed in scrubs. She rolled a stool in front of Setsuna's bed and took a seat, a huge smile plastered on her face.

"Let's have this baby!"

* * *

_Brrrrrng! Brrrrrng!_

Two cobalt blue eyes slowly opened at the high-pitched sound of the telephone ringing beside him on the nightstand. Who was stupid enough to call at this time? Grumbling to himself, Mamoru flopped over on his stomach and stared at the bright red numbers of his alarm clock sitting by the phone. It was five fifty-three in the morning.

"Geez, some people are trying to sleep," he said, pulling the pillow over his head. Maybe if he just ignored the ringing, whoever was calling would give up and call again at a decent hour.

Beside him, Usagi stirred. "Mamo-chan, get that," she mumbled, not even opening her eyes.

"They'll call back later."

"But it might be important."

"Alright, alright." Reluctantly, he sat up against the headboard and yawned before reaching over to grab the phone. "Moshi moshi, Chiba Mamoru speaking."

"Mamoru-san?" an annoyingly peppy voice answered. "It's me, Hotaru."

"Hotaru-chan, do you know what time it is?" Mamoru asked grouchily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "It's not even six o'clock in the morning."

He heard a small giggle on the other end. "Somebody certainly got up on the wrong side of the bed today," Hotaru teased. "I woke up at three-thirty in the morning, but you don't hear me impersonating Oscar the Grouch. Although, that probably has to do with the fact that I'm on my fifth cup of coffee. Who would have known that this stuff would taste so good? Haruka just went to Starbucks to get some more. Do you want some? I can get you a cup from the cafeteria, but I must warn you that it tastes even worse than Setsu-"

Mamoru let out another huge yawn, interrupting the teen's ramblings. "Hotaru-chan, is there a point to all this? Because if there's not, I'm going back to sleep."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. We're at the hospital, and I just thought you and Usagi-san would like to know that Setsuna gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl at exactly 5:18 this morning. Mother and daughter are doing fine."

Hearing the news, Mamoru almost let the receiver drop from his shaking hand. Setsuna had just given birth to a baby, their daughter. He was a father!

"Mamoru-san, are you still there?" Hotaru asked after a long pause.

"Yeah, I'm here," Mamoru replied, quickly snapping out of the his thoughts. He had to remain cool about this, although he didn't bother to hide the huge grin that spread across his face. "That's wonderful news, Hotaru-chan. Usagi and I will be there as soon as possible. Tell Setsuna we said 'Congratulations', okay?"

"Sure. I guess we'll see you later then. Bye!"

"Bye."

After they said goodbye, Mamoru gently set the receiver down and sighed. The smile that appeared only moments earlier slowly disappeared when he realized he had just missed the birth of his first daughter. He should have been there…

He felt a familiar pair of slender arms wrap around him in comfort, his lover's chin resting on his shoulder. "Did Setsuna-san have her baby?" Usagi asked softly, kissing his bare shoulder.

Mamoru nodded, looking straight ahead in an attempt to hide the tear that threatened to run down his face. "It was a girl."

"Congratulations, Papa."

"Thanks," he whispered, wiggling out of his fiancée's embrace.

Mamoru got out of bed and started getting dressed, knowing that there was no way he would be able to go back to sleep. Without prodding, Usagi did the same, although she would have much rather stay in bed and gotten a couple more hours of sleep. He didn't have to tell her. She knew he wanted to go to the hospital.

Ten minutes later, he grabbed the keys to his car and they left.

* * *

The tiny bundle of joy cooed in her mother's arms, bringing a serene smile to the tired time guardian's face. She was an absolutely gorgeous baby with dark ebony hair and smooth cocoa-colored skin, just a few shades lighter than her mother's. Her eyes, though now closed, were a dark red that would put the rarest rubies to shame. There was no doubt about it. She was most definitely her mother's child.

Setsuna unwrapped the soft pink blanket around the child, revealing her small feet and tiny clenched fists, and started counting her fingers and toes, one by one. There were ten of each, every single one as perfect as could be. _She_ was as perfect as could be.

Sitting by the window with her lover, Michiru smiled and reached for Haruka's hand, watching the sweet interaction between mother and child. "Haruka…"

The tomboy glanced over at the oceanic beauty, recognizing the look in Michiru's eyes. However, this time, it was reflected in her own. Haruka squeezed Michiru's hand and nodded. "We'll talk about it."

A couple of minutes later, Hotaru breezed into the room, still on a caffeine high. She grabbed the cup of cappuccino Haruka offered her and began pacing around the room, talking a mile a minute.

"I called all the others, although it took me awhile to get hold of Minako-san. I think she was spending the night over at Asai-kun's apartment, because I called her place about ten times and she never picked up, so I decided to try her cell. Boy did she sound unhappy when she picked up, but anyway, she said that she would come by later this morning. Speaking of grumpy, Mamoru-san definitely got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He said 'Congratulations' and told me that he and Usagi-san would visit as soon as possible, but who knows when that will be, considering Usagi-san's sleeping habits. Rei-san was doing her morning meditations, but I left a message with Yuuichiro-kun and they'll probably visit later today. And Makoto-san said she would try to come by before she has to go to work. Was that everybody? I hope it was, because of course Ami-san already knows. Unless you want me to call the father. Do you have his number, Setsuna-mama? I can call him if you--"

The new mother shook her head, trying not to laugh at her adopted daughter's antics. Glancing over at Michiru and Haruka, it looked like they were struggling not to laugh as well. "Hotaru-chan, sweetie, I think you need to stop with the caffeine," Setsuna said, grabbing the cup from the teen's hands when she passed by the bed and setting it on the table beside her. "Why don't you three go down to the cafeteria and get some food in your stomachs. I'm sure you must be hungry."

Hotaru made a face. "Cafeteria food? You must be joking. That stuff isn't food, it's cardboard made in the shape of food. Why do you think I always bring my dinner whenever I'm working here? Ooo, that reminds me. My shift is supposed to start in about two hours. I completely forgot about it. But I'm sure Ami-san won't mind if I got someone else to fill in for me. I'll call Kimi-chan and see if she can come in. Did I tell you that she started working here? She says she's interested in the medical profession, but I know her better than that. Kimi-chan just wants to meet cute doctors, although if you ask me, the only hunk around here is Urawa-sensei, but Ami-san's already managed to snag him…"

"Actually, I think breakfast sounds like a fantastic idea," Michiru said, ignoring Hotaru's ramblings, which continued despite the fact that nobody was listening. She stood up and grabbed her purse. "We can go to that darling little diner just across the street. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me," Haruka replied. "Setsuna, do you want us to bring anything back?"

"No, that's okay."

The couple left after saying goodbye, dragging the still high-strung teen with them. Once they were gone, Setsuna sighed and cuddled her precious daughter closer to her. The child was sleeping peacefully, looking very much like an angel, so sweet and innocent. A lump formed at the back of her throat at the sight.

"I love you so very much," she whispered, not wanting to wake the baby from her slumber. "More than anything in the world. I hope you know that."

A soft knock on the door interrupted the tender moment. Setsuna wiped away the tear that managed to run down her cheek despite her best attempts not to cry and told the visitor to come in, expecting to see Ami or maybe one of the nurses. Instead, it was Mamoru and Usagi.

Setsuna couldn't help but feel a slight ache in her heart as her daughter's father entered the room with his fiancée, but she hid it well. He took a seat in the chair beside the bed, while Usagi placed a beautiful bouquet of roses on the table.

"Congratulations, Setsuna-san," the blonde said sincerely, breaking the somewhat uncomfortable silence surrounding them. "She's a beautiful baby."

"Thank you, Usagi-chan."

Mamoru simply nodded his agreement, still to speechless at the sight of the raven-haired child, his daughter, in Setsuna's arms. He longed to reach over and caress her smooth skin, but didn't out of respect for Usagi's feelings.

Though Usagi appeared to be fine with the entire situation, he knew that it still had to be difficult for her, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain. However, as if she somehow sensed his hesitation to show affection toward his new daughter while she was in the room, Usagi quietly excused herself, giving the parents a few moments of privacy alone with their child.

"Would you like to hold her?" Setsuna asked once Usagi had closed the door behind her.

Mamoru nodded, carefully taking the baby in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open briefly at the exchange, but she immediately went right back to sleep once she was securely in her father's embrace. "She's perfect, Setsuna-san," he whispered, looking down at the child in awe. "Absolutely perfect."

"She is, isn't she?"

The new father leaned back in his chair, gently rocking his daughter back in forth. It was amazing how in one single moment, he could fall in love with the child in his arms. "Have you named her yet?" he asked, looking back over at Setsuna.

Setsuna shook her head. "I thought I would let you have the honors. After all, she's your daughter, too."

"Are you sure?" he asked. Setsuna nodded as he furrowed his brow in thought. It only took him about two minutes to decide on the perfect name.

"Masago -- the sands of time."

The guardian of time's red eyes noticeably widened at his choice as a brief memory flashed in her mind. It was so long ago, but she still vividly recalled that night when a lonely girl dressed in white appeared in her room in the middle of the night, claiming she was from the 30th century. The girl had said her name was Meioh Masago. Could that mean what she thought it meant?

Setsuna hadn't even realized she was shaking until Mamoru grabbed her hand and squeezed. "Setsuna-san, are you feeling alright?" he asked. "Why are you shaking? Is something wrong?"

"No, everything is right."

Mamoru gave her a strange look, but she didn't care. A huge weight had just lifted off her shoulders. For months, Setsuna had been worried about the affect of her pregnancy on the timeline, but if this child was the Meioh Masago she met that night, that meant that nothing had changed. Crystal Tokyo would still be born with Endymion and Serenity ruling together as king and queen.

"Masago is a lovely name, Mamoru-san," Setsuna finally said, smiling one of her first true smiles in almost a year. Masago, who had just woken up, cooed in agreement. "Our little Masako…"

Standing up, Mamoru began pacing around the room while still rocking the baby in his arms. "Usagi and I have been talking about this for awhile," he confessed after a few minutes of peaceful silence. "I know I can't be a real father to Masako without the others finding out the truth, but I still want to be in her life. We can baby-sit every once in a while, and I'll be there for birthdays, Christmases, and the other important events in her life. I can be kind of like an uncle or something. It's not the ideal solution, of course, but it's really the best we can do in this situation. Right?"

Instead of answering, Setsuna lowered her gaze, staring at her folded hands. Her smile had disappeared, replaced by saddened garnet eyes that were filled with tears. "Mamoru-san, I think there's something you should know," she said softly.

Curious, he sat back down in the chair. "What is it?"

The guardian of time took in a deep breath, not sure if she should reveal her secret when not even her family knew the truth of what was going to happen in just a few short months. However, she knew it wasn't fair to let Mamoru hold onto the false hope that he could be a part of Masago's life. That just wasn't possible.

"We're leaving, Mamoru-san," she finally announced.

He blinked a couple of times in shock, not believing what he just heard. Masago gurgled in his arms, but it barely registered his brain. "What do you mean, you're leaving? When?"

"Your wedding day," she answered, brushing back a strand of black hair that had fallen in his eyes. "The time has come for Destiny to arrive, Prince. I can't tell you much, only that I must return to my post at the Gates of Time, and I'm taking Masago with me."

"Do Haruka-san and the others know?"

"Not yet," Setsuna admitted, shaking her head. "Actually, I haven't decided whether to tell them or not. I think it would be better if they don't know until it happens. They'll understand. I just thought I should tell you, so it won't come as such a shock. I'm sorry."

"I understand," Mamoru said, standing back up and giving Masago back to her mother. His touch lingered just a little bit longer on the child before he leaned over and kissed Setsuna on the forehead. "I better go find Usagi. See you later, okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, see you later."

Garnet eyes followed Mamoru as he slowly exited the room and closed the door behind him. Though there still was a couple of months left before she had to leave, she knew that at that moment, he was out of their lives forever.

That was the way it was supposed to be.

But was that what she wanted?


	21. Act 20 Time to Say Goodbye

Act Twenty - Time To Say Goodbye

The day had finally come, the day for destiny to arrive. At twelve o'clock (more or less, considering the bride's tendency to be late for everything) in the afternoon, Chiba Mamoru and Tsukino Usagi, the reborn Prince Endymion of the Golden Kingdom and Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, would be joined in holy matrimony.

Things were understandably chaotic at the Tenoh/Kaioh/Meioh/Tomoe household as the Outers prepared for what Minako jokingly referred to as the "Wedding of the Millennium." The title wasn't too far from the truth, since Mamoru had finally loosened his purse strings and let Usagi plan her perfect dream wedding. It was definitely going to be one of most expensive weddings ever held in the history of Tokyo with a guest list rumored to number over a thousand of their dearest and closest friends, which somehow included Mr. and Mrs. Kaioh, much to a certain musician's irritation.

"I still can't believe Usagi-chan invited my parents," Michiru grumbled, slipping on her other Manilo Blanik stiletto. She and Hotaru were in the bedroom she shared with Haruka, waiting for the tomboy to finally come out of the bathroom. "They've never even met. What was she thinking?"

The raven-haired teen shrugged, looking up from the nail she was painting a rich velvety plum that matched her bridesmaid's dress. "Well, she did invite the others' families, so maybe she invited your and Haruka-papa's parents so you wouldn't feel left out."

That explanation didn't make Michiru feel any better. She would much rather feel left out than to spend the afternoon with her successful stockbroker father and high society mother, neither who approved of her unconventional lifestyle. "At least the Tenohs had the decency to decline the invitation to a stranger's wedding. I bet you the only reason they agreed to attend is because the wedding is going to be splashed across the society section in the paper. That sounds exactly like something my mother would do."

Hotaru just rolled her eyes and went back to painting her nails, not seeing what the big deal was. There were going to be so many people at the wedding, she doubt that Michiru would even get the chance to speak to her parents. "What will be, will be, Michiru-mama. There's no use worrying about it."

"I suppose you're right, Hotaru-chan," Michiru sighed, glancing over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. They were supposed to be at the church in less than an hour, but Haruka, for once, still wasn't ready. The musician slipped on a pair of earrings and walked over to the bathroom door, knocking lightly. "Haruka, hurry up. Hotaru and I are already dressed and ready to go."

From behind the closed door, they could hear the distinct rustling of fabric and the mumblings of a few choice swear words. "I'm not going and you can't make me," Haruka declared. "There is absolutely no way I'm going out in public dressed like this."

"I'm sure you look fine, Haruka. Besides, you promised Usagi-chan that you would be a bridesmaid. You can't just not go."

"That was before I saw the dress. I look like a giant blueberry."

There was laughter in Michiru's eyes as she tried to open the door, finding it locked. "You're the one who refused to help us pick out bridesmaid's dresses," she reminded her. "Now, open the door and let us see how gorgeous you look."

After a few more minutes of sputtering profanities, Haruka slowly opened the door and popped her head out, not looking too happy at all. "Okay, I'll come out, but you two have to promise not to laugh," Haruka said sulkily. "If I hear even one giggle, I'm going straight back into that bathroom and not coming out until the wedding's over."

"We promise. Now let's see how you look."

Reluctantly, the tomboy open the door all the way and stepped out, her face distorted into a horrible grimace as she modeled. The dress was indeed a very dark hue similar to that of a blueberry, although Michiru thought her lover looked very lovely. However, Hotaru immediately burst into a gale of laughter at the sight of her "father" in a dress.

"I thought you promised not to laugh," Haruka whined.

"Michiru did, I didn't," Hotaru retorted between giggles.

The blonde gave her adopted daughter an evil glare before promptly turning back around to make good on her threat. Unfortunately, Michiru was already blocking the door with one of her famous "If you don't do what I say, you're going to be sleeping on the living room couch" looks on her face. "You are going to the wedding and you are going to have a nice time, Haruka," Michiru declared, arms crossed over her chest. "I'm sorry you don't like the dress I chose for you, but you have only yourself to blame. Besides, it'll only be for a couple of hours. After the wedding's over, you can change into whatever you want."

"Okay, okay, I'll wear the stupid dress, but it better be worth it."

The musician winked, seductively brushing her finger against the outline of Haruka's jawbone. "Oh, I'll make it very worthwhile…"

Hotaru pretended to gag, then stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. "I think I'll go tell Setsuna we're almost ready to go," she said as she left, although she doubt either of her parents were listening. They were too caught up in each other's eyes. "Thanks for letting me borrow your nail polish, Michiru-mama."

When she came to Setsuna's closed door, Hotaru was surprised to hear relative silence coming from the room. Usually Masago was crying at the top of her lungs at all hours of the day, wanting something to eat or her diaper changed or just to be held. The teen lightly knocked on the door, not wanting to disturb if by some miracle Setsuna had finally managed to put her "sister" to sleep. There was no answer

"Setsuna-mama…" she whispered, peeking her head inside.

The room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a beautiful Tiffany lamp she had given Setsuna for her birthday sitting on the desk. Most of the light fell on a head of hunter green tresses elegantly pulled up into a slight beehive. The owner's face was hidden behind her hands, but Hotaru had no doubt that she was crying.

The teen quietly walked over to where the woman sat and rested her hands on her mother's trembling shoulders. Setsuna jumped, startled by the touch. She hadn't heard anyone come in.

Quickly wiping away her tears, Setsuna turned around and found herself staring straight into Hotaru's worried violet eyes. "Hotaru-chan!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was coming to tell you that we're ready to go to the church," Hotaru answered. "But why were you crying?"

The guardian of time shook her head, wiping away some runny mascara with her handkerchief. "It was nothing. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked, not convinced. It wasn't the first time she'd caught Setsuna crying in her room during the past few months, although she usually just left her alone with her emotions. Michiru suspected she might be suffering from post-partum depression, but Hotaru often sensed it was more than that.

The garnet-eyed woman plastered a fake smile on her face as she stood up and took her daughter by the shoulders. "I'm fine, Hotaru," she repeated. "Really. Don't worry about me. You have such a bright and beautiful future ahead of you."

Hotaru knit her eyebrows in confusion, not understanding what Setsuna was talking about. She wasn't making any sense at all. "Setsuna-mama, what are you-"

But the guardian of time shook her head, refusing to answer the unanswered question. She reluctantly let go of her grip on the teen's shoulders and sat down at her vanity, touching up her ruined makeup. "You three can go ahead to the church without us," she said. "Masago and I will catch up with you later."

The younger girl opened her mouth briefly to protest, but seeing Setsuna's haunted reflection in the mirror, she simply nodded her agreement before noiselessly exiting room. Once she was sure that Hotaru had left, Setsuna then stood back up and walked over to the desk where her hourglass still sat, the top half almost empty. Soon, the last grain of sand would trickle through the tiny funnel and she would be gone.

"Destiny has arrived…" she whispered to herself, almost in a trance-like state which was interrupted by Masago's soft wails.

The mother walked over to the crib and took her precious daughter in her arms, smiling softly as Masago's cries lowered in the safety of her embrace. Setsuna then gently kissed the top of the child's head before grabbing her purse and heading to her car.

* * *

"Where is that girl?" Rei asked for about the fifteenth time in just as many minutes. She, along with most of the bridesmaids, were waiting in the makeshift dressing room inside the church, waiting for the blushing bride to arrive. "I always said that she would be late for her own wedding, but I never actually MEANT it."

"I'm sure Usagi-chan will be here any minute," Makoto assured the raven-haired priestess. "She probably just overslept."

"Do you think she might have gotten cold hands?" Minako asked to a round of groans at yet another mangling by the Queen of Misquotes.

Luna, who was leisurely laying on the windowsill, sat up and stretched before turning her attention to the parking lot outside, which was already almost completely filled. "I don't think so, Minako-chan," she replied as a familiar pink car pulled up in front of the church, parking in an empty handicap-only space. "Usagi-chan has waited too long for this day to come not to show up. Besides, I'm pretty sure I just saw her arrive."

Sure enough, the normally odango-haired blonde breezed into the room a short time later, dressed in jeans and a pink T-shirt and carrying a large garment bag in her arms. However, her long hair was piled on top of her head and her face was already perfectly made up. Her maid of honor, Naru, hurried in after her with the bride's shoes and veil.

"Sorry we're late," Usagi apologized as she immediately headed toward the curtain hung in the corner of the room to undress. "But for once, it wasn't my fault. The hairdresser had a hard time getting my hair to stay put and then my makeup artist arrived ten minutes late for our appointment. Not to mention that traffic was positively horrible this morning. Things were so hectic, I barely even had time to eat breakfast."

The raven-haired priestess rolled her eyes as she and Naru walked behind the curtain to help Usagi get dressed without ruining her hair and makeup. Excuses, excuses… "Well, at least you made it before the ceremony," Rei said, buttoning the back of the beautiful wedding gown. "And I suppose it was worth it because you look absolutely stunning, Usagi."

"Thanks, Rei-chan," the bride replied, blushing very prettily. She then grabbed her purse and pulled out a gorgeous golden star-shaped locket. "Will you help me put this on?"

Rei took the locket in her hand, admiring the way it shimmered in the light. It looked familiar, but it took her a few seconds to remember where she had seen it before. "Isn't this…?"

Usagi nodded before her bridesmaid even finished asking the question. It was indeed the locket she gave Prince Endymion to remember her by the night before the attack on Silver Millennium over a thousand years ago. She had found the long forgotten trinket in an old shoebox in her closet while she was packing up the things in her old apartment and decided it was only appropriate to wear it on her wedding day. "I think this locket definitely qualifies as 'something old', don't you think?" Usagi asked with a grin as Rei draped the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp.

"Definitely."

After Naru finished carefully placing the veil in her hair, the three girls stepped out from behind the curtain to a chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" by the rest of her wedding party. This was the first time most of them had seen Usagi in the dress Setsuna designed, and they had to admit that it suited her perfectly. It was fit for a princess.

Hotaru sighed dreamily at the sight. "Wow, you look gorgeous, Usagi-san! Setsuna-mama really outdid herself this time."

"Where is Setsuna-san anyway?" Ami asked, looking around the room and counting heads. Everybody was there and accounted for except for the guardian of time. "I haven't seen her all morning. It's not like her to be so late."

Pretty violet eyes darkened in worry. Where_ was_ Setsuna? That was what she would like to know…

* * *

Just outside the chapel where the wedding was set to begin in less than an hour, Mamoru paced across red carpet for about the hundredth time that morning, trying to work off the nervousness that was knotting up in the pit of his stomach. It was unlike him to be so jittery, but he told himself that it was perfectly normal for a man to feel this way right before marrying the love of his life and giving up bachelorhood. At least, that was what he was always lead to believe. But what if he was wrong? What if his body was trying to tell him something? What if…

A friendly hand clasped his shoulder, stopping the groom in his tracks. "Hey, man, you have got to relax," Motoki, who was serving as his best man, said, turning him around. "You look more wound than a ball of yarn. Did I act like this when I married Reika?"

"Actually, I think you were worse," Mamoru replied, letting out a small chuckle at the memory of Motoki's and Reika's wedding day almost three years ago. Motoki had been so hyper from all the coffee he drank that morning to get rid of his hangover from the bachelor party the night before that he actually ran down the aisle to the altar, much to the embarrassment of everybody inside the church. There was no way Mamoru was going to let himself make that mistake.

The door to the chapel swung open, and Usagi's father popped his head out, camera in hand. There were groans all around as the flash went off, nearly blinding Mamoru and Motoki in the eyes. Kenji, who worked as a professional photographer for a magazine, had taken it upon himself to get every single moment of his precious daughter's wedding on film, even though they had already hired another photographer so that he could relax and enjoy the wedding. Needless to say, practically all the groomsmen were becoming rather annoyed with the father of the bride.

"Enough with the pictures, tou-san," Shingo said from behind his father, shielding his eyes from another bombardment of flashes. "You're going to run out of film before the wedding even begins."

"Oh, I doubt that, Shingo," Kenji replied, patting his trusty camera bag that was swung over his shoulder. "I still have about thirty rolls of film left to use and I fully intend to fill them all. Now get over there with Mamoru-san and smile for the camera."

"Tou-san…" the teen whined, although he reluctantly did as he was told, posing for yet another picture with Mamoru and Motoki. However, if he had to take one more stupid photo, that camera was going to somehow "mysteriously" disappear into the bottom of the nearby lake.

After taking a couple of more pictures of some of the other groomsmen who had joined them, Kenji finally put his camera away and pulled Mamoru away from the others for the "talk", which he had been dreading ever since the day he and Usagi got engaged. The two men walked outside, the groom literally sweating bullets under his elegant tuxedo.

"Look, Tsukino-san, I know what you're going to say," Mamoru began, figuring he might as well cut to the chase. Otherwise, they might be out there for hours. Kenji's infamous "chats" were known to be rather long-winded. "You're probably worried that I'll hurt your daughter again, and I can't say that I blame you. Those few weeks after the engagement party were pure agony for her. They were hard on me, too, but I assure you that I love Usagi with all my heart and soul and I promise I will never intentionally cause her pain ever again, so you don't have to worry."

Kenji simply nodded his head, although there was a tug of a smile on his stern face. "That's all well and good, Mamoru-kun, but honestly, I just wanted to welcome you to the family, that's all," he replied, jovially slapping him on the back before his eyes suddenly narrowed. "However, since you mentioned it, if you do hurt my little girl again, remember that I still have my old hunting rifle in the back of my closet and I'm not afraid to use it. Do we understand each other?"

The groom gulped, suddenly feeling the urge to loosen his bowtie. Why did he have to open his big mouth? "Yes, Tsukino-san."

"No need to be so formal, my boy. We're family now. Feel free to call me Kenji-papa."

"Yes, Kenji-san."

Luckily, Ikuko called Usagi's father back into the church to take some more pictures before he could issue any more threats. Well, lucky for him at least. He couldn't speak for the poor guests who were probably all going blind at this very instant. The thought made Mamoru chuckle as he dug his hands into his pockets and leaned against the outside of the church. He closed his eyes, letting the soft late summer breeze ruffle his hair and enjoying the brief serenity he was able to find.

"Mamoru-san?"

Hearing the familiar voice, he slowly glanced up, his cobalt blue gaze meeting that of Burmese ruby. Setsuna stood less than ten feet away, but didn't dare come closer, seemingly frozen in place. In her arms, the baby cooed happily, oblivious to the strained tenseness between her parents. He moved toward them, but the guardian of time shook her head. "Don't make this any harder than it already is, Mamoru-san," she said softly.

Mamoru stopped in his tracks, surprised by the look of absolute sadness reflected in his former lover's eyes. "You're leaving," he stated matter-of-factly, remembering what she told him in the hospital on the day of Masago's birth.

"After the wedding, yes."

"Have you told the others?"

The green-haired woman slowly shook her head, clutching her child closer to her chest. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw the beginnings of a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

"It's better this way," she replied. "I don't want to say goodbye. It's better for me to just disappear and let everyone forget I was ever here in this time."

The prince of Earth stepped forward once again, ignoring Setsuna's silent pleas to say away, and cupped her chin in his hand. Tears were now streaming down her face in tiny rivers, ruining her mascara.

"How can you say that, Setsuna-san?" Mamoru asked. "No one will ever forget you. You've meant so much to us. Both of you." He gently brushed his hand over Masago's raven curls.

Setsuna looked away, focusing her attention on a single black crow dancing on the stairs to the church. Why did he have to make this so difficult? "Please, don't say that," she whispered. "You have a new life ahead of you, one that doesn't include me and Masako. You must forget. Just forget everything!"

"No, I won't forget," Mamoru said forcefully, grabbing her arm when she turned to enter the church. She stared up at him with her tear-filled eyes, stunned to see he was crying, too. "I loved you, Setsuna. We created a life together. How can I just throw those memories aside like yesterday's garbage? I don't want to forget!"

"You never loved me, Mamoru-san. It was all because of Jade's spell. To you, I was nothing more than a cheap slut who was in the right place, at the right time. I should have never invited you in for that cup of coffee that night, but I just couldn't…"

Her words trailed off as she burst into sobs. Not knowing what else to do, Mamoru pulled Setsuna toward him and let her cry on his shoulder, not caring if it ruined his tuxedo. It was more important to comfort a friend in need. Usagi would understand.

"You're wrong, Setsuna-san," he finally said in a faint whisper, kissing the top of her head. "I did love you."

The guardian of time abruptly pulled away from his embrace, taking a couple of steps backwards before turning around. "I have to go. Usagi-chan and the other girls are probably wondering where I am."

"Wait!" he called out, following her up the stairs. Setsuna paused before opening the door, looking down at him in question. "If you don't want me to say goodbye, that's fine. But can I at least hold my daughter in my arms one more time?"

Setsuna nodded, unable to deny him his one last request. She gently placed the gurgling baby in her father's arms, smiling sadly at the loving look on Mamoru's face. It broke her heart to think that Masago would never know how much her father truly loved her, but that was the way it had to be.

Minutes later, Hotaru and Shingo came out to inform them that the ceremony was set to begin in about fifteen minutes. The teen gave her adopted mother a worried look, but Setsuna ignored it as Mamoru reluctantly handed Masago back to her and they went back inside the church, leaving the groom by himself on the stairs for a few moments at his request.

"Sayonara, Setsuna and Masako," he finally said to nobody before entering the church once more.

* * *

Usagi took a deep breath to calm the butterflies in her stomach as her father stepped beside her and offered his arm. This was it. She was finally marrying the man she loved for over a thousand years. The bride looked up at Kenji, surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"Otou-san, are you crying?" she teased lightly. Her father was not normally an emotional man.

"Well, can you blame me?" he asked, wiping away a tear that rolled down his cheek with the sleeve of his jacket. "My little girl is all grown up and getting married. Where did all the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday that you snuck into your mother's cosmetics kit and used her favorite shade of lipstick to draw pink bunnies all over the bedroom walls?"

The bride giggled, kissing her father lightly on the cheek. "Silly, otou-chan! That was almost twenty years ago."

"Otou-chan… It's been so long since I last heard you call me that," Kenji said mournfully.

Sensing his sadness, Usagi smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll always be my Otou-chan."

Ahead of them, the processional was already beginning, starting with her five-year-old twin cousins, Sakura and Takeshi, who were serving as the flower girl and ring bearer. Laughter filled the large chapel, which was more like a cathedral, as the little girl in pink decided to start chucking rose petals at her brother instead of on the silver carpet covering the aisle. Their mother immediately jumped up from her seat and grabbed the twins by their arms, dragging them the rest of the way to the beautifully decorated altar at the front of the church.

Next came the bridesmaids, eight of them in all, each holding onto the arm of their respective lovers, except for of course, Setsuna. She was paired with Mamoru's friend Asanuma Itto. Usagi thought the two of them looked rather cute together, in a strange sort of way, and decided that at the reception, she would try to play matchmaker.

Michiru and Haruka were the last in line, coming out together. There were some murmurs from the other guests at the sight of the two women holding onto each other like lovers, but, for the most part, they ignored them. However, Usagi could have sworn she saw the normally elegant Michiru stick her tongue out at an expensively dressed couple she didn't recognize. They must have been the parents the aqua-haired beauty begged her not to invite to the wedding.

Naru handed Usagi her a beautiful bouquet of roses and whispered a final "Good luck" before walking down the aisle after the rest, taking her spot beside the altar as the music changed to the familiar "Wedding March". The guests then stood up and turned toward the aisle, gasping as the beautiful bride and her father stepped through the door. Usagi tightened her grip on her father's arm, thinking she was about to faint from happiness, before they began the slow walk down the aisle toward Mamoru, her waiting prince.

This was it.

* * *

Setsuna watched her beloved princess walk down the aisle on the arm of her father, trying her hardest not to cry. Usagi looked so happy, and why shouldn't she be? All her dreams were about to come true.

And his dreams, too. Garnet eyes tore away from the blushing bride and focused on the handsome groom, waiting at the altar with his best man and an Elysionian priest, garbed in ceremonial robes of silver and gold. If Mamoru sensed her eyes on him, he didn't show it. Instead, he looked straight ahead, locking eyes with those of his soulmate and lover. The love he had for Usagi was painfully obvious by the look on his face.

When the bride and her father finally reached the altar, Kenji gave Usagi's hand to Mamoru and took a seat beside Ikuko, who began quietly sobbing on her husband's shoulder immediately after he sat down. The priest then stepped forward and placed his hands over the lovers' grasp.

"As many of you may know, this ceremony is indeed a special occasion, for today we will finally join these two destined lovers in holy matrimony," Helios began, his gentle voice filling the cathedral. "Millenniums ago, their love was forbidden simply because he was of the Earth and she was of the Moon, but through a queen's final sacrifice, they were given another chance to live and love again. It is truly a testament to the strength of their love that they were able to find each other once again, and it is that love we celebrate today. May I please have the rings?"

Takeshi stepped forward with a little push from his mother, holding the silver pillow high above his head. Helios, along with most of the guests and wedding party, chuckled as he took the simple gold and silver bands from the cute little boy and blessed them with holy water. Then he handed one of the rings to Mamoru and told him to place it on Usagi's hand as the prince repeated after him.

"With this ring, I take you as my partner in life and vow to love you completely, with all my mind, body, and soul, until the day I take my last breath upon this soil."

The groom slipped the band on her left hand as Usagi fought to hold back her tears of happiness. The priest handed the other ring to her and asked her to place it on Mamoru's hand while repeating the same simple vow. Her voice quivered with emotion as she swore herself to the man she loved more than anything in the world. The same emotion was reflected in the tears in Mamoru's sapphire eyes.

After exchanging the rings, the two lovers then each lit a flame, which they used to light a pure white candle as a symbol of the promise they made together. "May the Lord keep this flame burning eternally in the hearts of these two lovers," Helios said. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Endymiom-sama, you may kiss the bride."

Mamoru gently cupped his new wife's chin in his hand and brought her lips to his own, causing the locket around Usagi's neck to open and to play its enchanting lovers' melody.

The time guardian quickly looked down at the baby in her arms, tears in her eyes.

It was time.

* * *

In a darkened room, the final grain of sand passed through the funnel of an old-fashioned hourglass.

* * *

Once the lovers parted, two crystals appeared before their respective owners, one silver and one gold. The magic of the crystals glowed brightly, almost blinding, and suddenly the cathedral was filled with an ethereal white light.

When the light disappeared, the guardian of time and her daughter were gone.


	22. Epilogue

Epilogue

In a place hidden between time and space, a solitary guardian stood in the mists that surrounded Charon Castle, a small baby cradled in one arm and holding her Time Staff in the other. The dress of deep burgundy which she had worn to the wedding was replaced by a black and red sailor fuku. She sighed, looking down at what she had become.

No longer was she Meioh Setsuna.

She was Sailor Pluto, the guardian of time.

Despite the long absence from her post, everything was just as she remembered it. The gorgeous palace, the cold, yet comforting mist, the quiet… The entrance to the castle opened for her as she walked inside, the sound of her boots on the marble floors echoing in the silence with every step she made.

She climbed up the grand staircase and entered one of the many rooms, surprised to find that this one was already made into a beautiful nursery. Her garnet eyes widened as she took everything in.

The walls, which she vaguely remembered being white before, were painted a lovely shade of dusty rose, and dark maroon carpet covered the once tiled floors. A crib, trimmed with delicate pink lace, stood in the corner, and, beside it was a rocking chair, currently occupied with the largest black teddy bear in existence. The rest of the room was equally beautiful, filled with everything a baby could need, from a diaper changing station to a large playpen, filled to the brim with plush toys and other necessities.

"Who did this?" Pluto asked herself, setting her staff against the wall so she could better hold her child. "It's beautiful."

At the sound of Pluto's voice, Masago opened her wine-red eyes, identical to her mother's, and started to cry. The guardian of time gently rocked the child in her arms, smiling when she eventually calmed back down. Pluto then placed her daughter in the crib and turned toward the dresser, opening each of the drawers to find a complete wardrobe of baby clothes. "Wow, these are gorgeous."

Again, she wondered who was behind all this. Whoever it was either incredibly wealthy or incredibly powerful to have decorated the room so beautifully. But who else had a key to her kingdom?

Looking up, she spotted a bouquet of two dozen blood red roses sitting on the top of the dresser and a small envelope stamped with the royal seal. Curious, Pluto opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.

_Dearest Setsuna-san,_

_Welcome home. I hope you like my housewarming present. It's the least I could do for you and Masako. All my love to the new princess of Pluto._

_Sincerely,  
"Uncle" Endymion_

_P.S. I didn't forget, Setsuna-san. I could never forget._

The guardian of time smiled despite the tear that rolled down her cheek and onto the stationary, smearing some of the ink. It was Mamoru. He was the one who had did this. "Thank you, Mamoru-san," she whispered, setting the letter back on the dresser.

Placing the large bear on the floor, Pluto took a seat in the rocker, looking down at her peacefully sleeping child, their daughter. With her eyes closed, Masago looked very much like her father. Setsuna had never realized it before. Most people thought she took after her mother, with the same red eyes and dark skin, although Masago's was slightly paler. However, it was her raven dark hair and perfect facial features which came from her father.

"He loves you, Masako," she said softly, lightly stroking the mass of black curls on the baby's head. "I only wish you could know how much."

After tucking the sleeping angel underneath the soft pink blanket and kissing her goodnight, Pluto reluctantly retrieved her staff and turned to leave, pausing only to check on her daughter once more before she went to guard the Gates.

A young father's words suddenly echoed in her mind, and Pluto smiled.

_This_ was her destiny, and she accepted it with open arms.


End file.
